Israelis and Palestinians welcomed a major hostage and prisoner exchange which started on Monday, hailing it as a significant step towards ending two years of war in Gaza. In a crucial first phase of the plan to end the war, Hamas returned all living Israeli hostages, while Israel freed almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been instrumental in facilitating this and previous swap deals. It provided transport for the prisoners and hostages released during the ceasefire in November 2023 and also in January 2025. 

Speaking to CGTN, the ICRC's Director-General Pierre Krahenbuhl shared the details of these operations and the key lessons that have been learned.

"The ICRC is very relieved for the families and for the detained Palestinians and the hostages that were released this week again, and so it is the third time that we are playing this very important role to facilitate the transfer of these people back to their families. 

"And in the midst of all the horror that we have seen in Gaza, these are moments of hope and humanity that are incredibly important," he said.

'Complex operations'

He pointed out that these operations are "very complex to manage and to implement."

He further explained that for the process to run smoothly, ICRC staff had to cover all bases from security to logistics, while coordinating with the Israeli authorities and Hamas personnel.

"We are very satisfied that the operations this week allowed the release of the 20 hostages and over 1,800 Palestinian prisoners who were transferred back either to the West Bank or to the Gaza Strip by the ICRC," said Krahenbuhl.

As part of the neutral intermediary dimension of the organization's work, the ICRC maintains contact at all times with the parties. So the ICRC has been in constant communication with Hamas as well as the Israeli defense and security forces.

"It enables us to build the kind of trust that is essential at moments like these. And we are pleased that this positive development could take place with our support," the ICRC executive explained.

However, despite the recent ceasefire, aid delivery restrictions have continued in Gaza. The ICRC has had to adapt its processes to ensure safe, impartial access to northern areas, and take measures to protect civilians and critical infrastructure like medical facilities.

'Extremely delicate environment'

Krahenbuhl pointed out that having experienced such a "terrifying" situation, his organization is now holding out hope of being able to "see something better in the future."

"But we also have to be very clear that the destruction, the loss of life, the multiple displacements, the injuries, the amputations, the persons who went missing, and the many remaining questions around the bodies of hostages and the bodies of Palestinians that have to be brought back, create an environment which is extremely delicate," he added.

"In over 30 years of humanitarian work, I have never seen anything comparable. This goes beyond what we have witnessed in our lives as humanitarians." 

Urging political leaders and humanitarian actors to stay focused and ensure that the ceasefire holds, the charity executive recalled the time his organization had to withdraw temporarily from Gaza City when the fighting and the military operations got intense. 

"We are back now. We have medical and rehabilitation supplies waiting on the borders of Gaza. We can bring these in," he explained. "We have close partners in the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement who are also determined to make a difference. 

"So we have the capacity. Now let us transform this opportunity into something that brings dignity and a measure of humanity back to the people in Gaza."

Having called the situation in Gaza one that "will haunt us for decades," the ICRC leader shared how humanitarian organizations can help build long-term peace in the Middle East.

"When we look at the extent of the suffering that has taken place, our role will be a modest one. But we are very determined to play that role," he said.

'Not enough political courage'

"We successfully brought back the hostages who were still alive, and facilitated the release and transfer of Palestinian detainees. It is a modest contribution to the confidence building measures that are needed to enable peace," explained Krahenbuhl.

He also pointed out that "we didn't see enough political courage in this phase."

"We didn't see enough action to put an end to this horror that we saw every day on our screens, which our colleagues and many others were witnessing on the ground," reiterated the ICRC director. "So now it is time for political action and political courage to be shown… the human consequences, the human cost of this conflict will haunt us for decades to come. 

"Nobody will be able to ever say that they were not aware that this is happening. So there's no hiding, there's no excuse now. If we take humanity seriously, and if we believe that every human being has the right to a personal horizon in a society, then now is the time to act. As humanitarians, we can help prepare the ground and build some bridges, but it is decisive political action that is needed now."

He also talked of concrete steps that global leaders must take to facilitate humanitarian initiatives and to contribute towards broader Middle East peace efforts.

"The next step that is urgently needed is opening up of the crossing points for arrival of more aid, and establishment of mechanisms to ensure that the population has proper access to assistance," he said with some urgency. "We're still very much in a life-saving and life-preserving phase."

Gaza's healthcare 'catastrophically destroyed'

Krahenbuhl was quick to point out that the enclave's healthcare system has been "catastrophically destroyed and needs urgent action to re-establish."

He explained it is essential not just to deal with the injuries caused during the war, but also to attend to standard health problems that any population has. Gazans, however, no longer have access to basic health facilities.

"It is a moment of opportunity which requires political courage. But it's also a moment where we must not close our eyes to the realities that people are going to face," explained the charity's director.

"Think of somebody who has just been released from an Israeli prison and has been transferred back to Gaza. Which Gaza do they find upon their return? And for many of us who have worked in the Gaza Strip over many years but have not been back in recent months, when we go back now we wouldn't recognize the place," he added.

"There is so much to be done and focused on. We cannot overlook the consequences of such a war. It will haunt us for decades to come, because individual families have lost so many relatives, with some still under the rubble. 

"The social and psychological impact of this will be catastrophic for years to come. So it really requires the most careful attention we can bring. And no one can do this alone."

'Fragile hope'

Krahenbuhl pledged that the world can count on ICRC to play its role alongside its partner organizations.

He said it is important that the focus remains on the situation in Gaza so that we can transform this "fragile hope, a relief at the end of the devastating military operation, that we can build something different."

The ICRC executive acknowledged it will require a lot of effort and it is "not be right to think that the distribution of a little bit of wheat and flour on a daily basis is enough."

"It's about human dignity. Something that is always lost in war is the humanity of the other… not naming the victim, knowing the names of one but not knowing the name of the other. It doesn't help prepare for peace," he told CGTN. "We have to rediscover the humanity in the other. And this is also our big responsibility."

Krahenbuhl said that in addition to the 1,900 detainees and the 20 hostages who have been released, there are others still in detention. 

He said the ICRC has not had access to the prisoners held by Israel prior to the war since it started on October 7, 2023 despite legal obligations to facilitate such visits.

"This is something we will now re-engage on, to ensure adherence to the conditions under which prisoners must be kept and the dignity and humane treatment that is required under such circumstances," he said.