Gaza accuses Red Cross of ‘double standards’ over handover of dead Palestinians, Israelis

Gaza’s Government Media Office yesterday accused the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) of “double standards” regarding the handover of the bodies of deceased Israelis and Palestinians, Anadolu reported.

“While the Red Cross holds solemn official ceremonies when receiving the bodies of Israeli hostages, it delivers the bodies of Palestinian martyrs in blue bags tossed into trucks that lack the most basic elements of human dignity,” Ismail Thawabta, who heads the media office, said on X.

“This blatant discrimination reflects double standards and exposes the international community’s failure to achieve justice and fairness!”

There was no immediate comment from the Red Cross on the accusation.

Last September, the ICRC denied any role in the transfer of the remains of dead Palestinians from Israel to Gaza.

Hamas yesterday handed over the bodies of four Israeli captives – who it says were killed in Israel’s bombing of the enclave – as part of a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement.

In a message to the families of Israeli captives, Hamas said: “We would have preferred for your sons to return to you alive, but the leaders of your army and government chose to kill them instead.”

READ: Hamas hands over bodies of 4 captives killed during Israel’s bombing of Gaza