Gaza/Jerusalem ( The COW News Digital)Following the release of new video footage showing Israeli hostages in Gaza suffering from apparent malnutrition, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to deliver food and medical aid to the captives. The humanitarian plea prompted a conditional response from Hamas.
Netanyahu’s call comes amid growing pressure from families of the hostages and international rights groups demanding access to the detainees. The videos, which began circulating online over the weekend, show two Israeli prisoners appearing visibly weak and distressed, raising serious concerns about their well-being. In response, the ICRC reiterated its long-standing demand for immediate access to all hostages held in Gaza.
Hamas’s military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, issued a statement late Sunday responding to both the videos and Netanyahu’s appeal. In a rare public communication, spokesman Abu Obaida declared that Hamas is willing to cooperate with the Red Cross — but only under specific conditions.
The statement outlined that any humanitarian intervention for the hostages must be matched by broader aid access to Gaza’s civilian population, which has suffered greatly amid continued Israeli airstrikes and blockades. “We are ready to coordinate with the Red Cross,” said Abu Obaida, “but Israel must first open humanitarian corridors and allow the continuous flow of food and medicine into all areas of Gaza.”
Additionally, Hamas has demanded that Israel suspend all aerial operations over the Gaza Strip during the aid delivery process. “We will not permit aid deliveries to hostages if Gaza continues to face bombardments from the air,” the statement said.
Abu Obaida also denied accusations that hostages are being deliberately starved, saying they are being given the same limited rations available to ordinary civilians under siege conditions. “The prisoners eat what the people of Gaza eat,” he emphasized.
The situation adds new complexity to ongoing ceasefire negotiations, as international mediators now face the dual challenge of addressing both hostage welfare and Gaza’s broader humanitarian collapse.
The Red Cross has yet to confirm whether conditions on the ground will allow such a mission to proceed. Meanwhile, Israeli officials have not publicly responded to Hamas’s conditions.
