The International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) holds a special place in international law. They alone have the legal mission and obligation to safeguard the rights and well-being of prisoners and captives during war time. The ICRC’s duty is to ensure the treatment of those being held and to demand that they receive proper medical care. Yet, even months after the Hamas abductions, the ICRC has not met with one of the hostages and continues to blame Israel, outrageously demanding that the Jewish State itself work out how to gain access to the captives. Rather than insisting that they be provided access and be allowed to deliver medicine, as they have with many other kidnapped victims held by other terrorists around the world, they echo Hamas’ demand for a ceasefire and point the finger at Israel.
As such, we have brought an unprecedented lawsuit against the ICRC on behalf of the families of the Israeli hostages and those captives who had been released, in the Jerusalem District Court. This is the first time this Geneva based humanitarian agency has been sued for not fulfilling its mandate. We alleged that the ICRC has breached its moral and legal duty to protect the wellbeing, health and rights of the Israelis being held by the terrorist Hamas organization.
The lawsuit follows the legal demand letter we sent, signed by more than 1,200 attorneys shortly after Oct. 7th, demanding that the ICRC speak out, fulfill its duties and act. The Shurat HaDin lawsuit against the ICRC received widespread media attention which increases pressure to act. It was covered by The New York Times, Newsweek, Barron’s, and many others.
https://www.jns.org/israeli-ngo-files-2-8-million-suit-against-red-cross/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-group-accuses-red-cross-of-biased-and-apathetic-response-to-gaza-hostages/
https://www.thejc.com/news/israel/hostage-families-sue-red-cross-awsvreuv
https://www.newsweek.com/israeli-hostages-sue-red-cross-abandoning-jews-1854661
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/22/world/middleeast/israel-hamas-hostages-red-cross-lawsuit.html
https://tps.co.il/articles/israeli-ngo-files-2-8-million-lawsuit-against-red-cross/
