ICRC President to visit Israel, meet with officials and hostages' families

This comes a week after her visits to Egypt and the Gaza Strip for discussions on allowing Red Cross representatives to access the hostages taken by Hamas during its October 7 attack on Israel.

Spoljaric is expected to meet with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, as well as the families of hostages.

According to Israeli defence officials, some 138 hostages remain in Gaza of the approximately 240 people taken on October 7. At least 18 of those remaining are dead and terrorists are holding onto their remains

105 Israeli and foreign hostages were released as part of a weeklong temporary truce deal last month that expired on December 1.

As per The Times of Israel, the ICRC has come under fierce criticism in Israel and abroad for not doing more to push for access to the hostages to check on their wellbeing, deliver medications, and facilitate communication with families, per its mandate.

Israel has said that the Red Cross' visits to the remaining hostages were a stipulation of the truce last month.

In November, Spoljaric met Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar for discussions. Her office later said that the "ICRC has persistently called for the immediate release of hostages."

"Agreements must be reached that allow the ICRC to safely carry out this work. The ICRC cannot force its way in to where hostages are held, nor do we know their location," her office said, as per The Times of Israel.

Last month, Spoljaric also met with family members of Israeli hostages and with Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and Health Minister Uriel Menachem Buso in Geneva.

"Families of hostages are living through an incredibly heart-wrenching time and I want to underscore how hard we are advocating on behalf of their loved ones. This is a key priority for me, and I know the enormous pain the families are enduring," she said.

Meanwhile, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant recently said that the war against Hamas in Gaza will end after Israel achieves its goals, The Times of Israel reported.

He said that the Hamas' Jabaliya and Shejaiya battalions in the northern Gaza Strip are on the "verge of being dismantled."

While addressing a press conference, Gallant said, "The war will end when its goals are achieved. I take into consideration everything the US asks and says, and take seriously, along with all the members of the cabinet, what America is doing."

He further said, "We will find a way to help the Americans help us." (ANI)