Red Cross Condemns Hamas After 'Staged' Burial and Excavation Video

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) condemned the Hamas movement after the Israeli Army released a video showing a "staged" burial and excavation of body remains in Gaza, intended to present the remains as a new discovery to the Committee's representatives.

Details of the 'Deception' and ICRC Condemnation

• Drone Footage: The Israeli Army pointed to drone footage captured on Tuesday, showing Hamas members removing body remains from a bag inside a building, dragging the bag to a large pit, and partially burying it.

• Staged Discovery: The video subsequently shows the same individuals unveiling the bag in front of Red Cross representatives, as if the remains were a new discovery.

• Potential Identity: Israeli media (including The Times of Israel and Yedioth Ahronoth) reported that the bag likely contained additional remains of Israeli hostage Ofir Sarfati, whose body was returned to Israel in December 2023.

• ICRC Condemnation: The Committee quickly condemned the action.

Israeli Reactions

• Conditional Welcome to Condemnation: The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the ICRC's condemnation of the "fake burial operations" but noted a "gap between what the Red Cross office knows and the reality," expressing confidence that the Committee would take action regarding the lies reported to its staff.

• Psychological Warfare: The Hostages and Missing Families Forum criticized Hamas's actions, accusing them of continuing "psychological warfare" after the circulation of the video.

• Call for Action: The Families Forum called on the Prime Minister to "act decisively" against Hamas for its "violation of the ceasefire agreement."

Background of Tension and Ceasefire

• Search Permission: Israel had allowed Hamas operatives into the Yellow Line area to search for the bodies of the remaining Israeli hostages, under close aerial surveillance to assess the speed of the work.

• Ceasefire Resumption: The Israeli Army announced earlier on Wednesday the renewed enforcement of the ceasefire, following a series of widespread strikes launched in response to the death of an Israeli soldier. These military operations resulted in the deaths of over 100 Palestinians.

• Israeli Demand: Israel demands that Hamas hand over all the bodies of the hostages, while the movement claims it needs assistance to search for and extract the remains.