Snubbed by Netanyahu, Red Cross toes fine line trying to help civilians in Israel-Hamas conflict

DAVOS, Switzerland — The International Committee of the Red Cross has been losing influence, funding and staff, and disparaging remarks from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are just the latest headache for the Geneva-based humanitarian group. Netanyahu said he intentionally bypassed the Red Cross in helping arrange a shipment into Gaza of medicines for dozens of Israeli hostages with chronic illnesses who have been held by the militant group Hamas for months. The ICRC is a sister organization of an umbrella group of Red Cross and Red Crescent organizations that unites national federations and mostly focuses on things like natural disasters, regular medical assistance and blood drives. A Red Cross statement Thursday said it has been “calling for the unconditional release of the hostages as a priority, while also pressing for access to them and the ability to provide medical care.” It said it has been working to “agree to a mechanism to deliver medicines to the hostages” — who now total more than 130 — and had with the two sides “initiated the conversation in its role as a neutral intermediary.” The two sides agreed on how much medicine would be sent and by whom under the arrangement by Qatar and France, the Red Cross said, while adding that “the mechanism that was agreed to does not involve the ICRC playing any part in its implementation, including the delivery of medication.” WHY THE TESTY INTERACTION WITH NETANYAHU? The Red Cross responded: “The ICRC has long insisted that the hostages receive the medicines they need, and we continue to stand ready to deliver them provided that there is an agreement for us to do so.” ___ Associated Press writer Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this article.