Hamas Ties Hostage Aid Access to Opening of Humanitarian Corridors in Gaza

The Palestinian militant organisation Hamas announced on Sunday that it would permit the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to access Israeli hostages only if humanitarian corridors are opened throughout the Gaza Strip.

In a formal statement, Hamas’s military wing declared:

“(We) are ready to respond positively (to) any request by the Red Cross to deliver food and medicine to enemy prisoners. However, we condition our acceptance on the opening of humanitarian corridors… for the passage of food and medicine… across all areas of the Gaza Strip.”

This statement was issued in response to a public appeal from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called upon the ICRC to help deliver food to Israeli hostages currently held in Gaza. The ICRC had earlier issued a statement on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), urging for immediate access to the hostages.

Summary Table

Hamas’s condition underscores the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and highlights the complexity of negotiations involving hostages, international aid, and wartime diplomacy.