Red Cross officials have not yet been allowed to visit hostages that Hamas is holding in Gaza, multiple sources have told CNN – a violation of an agreement struck between Israel and Hamas, which stipulated that the Red Cross would be able to visit the hostages by the end of the fourth day of the truce.
US President Joe Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan said over the weekend that as a part of the Israel-Hamas truce agreement, Red Cross officials would be able to visit hostages still held captive in Gaza “by the end of the fourth day.” Another source familiar with the terms of the agreement echoed that this was an aspect of the deal.
There are also more than 30 hostages being held by other groups, and several of the hostages who were captured by Hamas are no longer being held by Hamas, and some others who were captured by PIJ were released by Hamas.
There is a big difference between the international group and the local affiliate. The families would for sure accept an ICRC official telling them “your son/daughter is still alive. I saw them myself this morning”. I’m not sure the families would accept the same from a PRCS employee without further proof.
Same goes for the target audience of this news article. For the simple bigots, they could ask them which emblem they like the most and then present themselves with that.