Kidnapped: Hostage-Taking as a Form of Torture
“We were brutally kidnapped from our house. Our girls saw things
that kids that age, or any age, should not see. You feel like you want
to pinch yourself and wake up from this movie. We just slept, cried.
Every day that passed was an endless eternity.”
- Danielle Aloni
Executive Summary
On October 7, 2023, Hamas and its related militias invaded southern Israel and forcibly abducted 247 men, women, and children. Prior to that attack, 4 hostages were already being held in Gaza. Over 2 years later, all of the hostages have come home, and a reckoning is now due.
This report is based on the testimony of released hostages and the health care professionals who treat them. It analyzes the clear and absolute prohibition on torture under international law, and integrates the findings of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, whose 2025 report identified a clear pattern of physical and psychological abuse suffered by hostages during captivity, as well as post-traumatic harm after their release.
We reveal here that 88 percent of the hostages were civilians. Among them, 23 hostages were aged 12 or younger at the time of their abduction, and 34 were aged 60 or older. Fifty percent of the hostages were non-Israeli or held dual or multiple citizenships, including citizens of at least 24 different countries.
The hostages were held in harsh, degrading, and inhumane conditions and were denied medical care, food, access to personal hygiene, and natural light. Threats of execution, prolonged isolation, sexual assault, and abuse were routine experiences in captivity. 68% of the hostages held for over 200 days were forced to participate in propaganda videos. So far, 12 released hostages have described being sexually assaulted in captivity, including women and men. 33 hostages were executed by their captors.
At least 78 released hostages showed signs of starvation, acute malnutrition, and severe muscle wasting, having received as little as a single piece of bread each day, even as their captors ate full meals. Most hostages faced inadequate hygiene, physical violence, and extended periods of immobility during captivity. Psychological assessments further reveal acute dissociation, emotional numbing, and severe mental withdrawal.
“For 491 days, I was kept mostly underground in Hamas terror tunnels, chained, starved, beaten, and humiliated.” - Eli Sharabi
This report calls upon United Nations mechanisms, State Parties to the Convention Against Torture, and international accountability bodies to address the October 7 attacks and the hostage-taking as conduct that constitutes torture, and recognize former hostages and their families as victims of torture. Torture is absolutely prohibited under international law. It cannot be justified or contextualized. Hostage-taking is not merely arbitrary detention. It is the deliberate weaponization of human suffering to bend political will.
The Jerusalem Institute of Justice urges States and international bodies to reject any framing of the hostage-taking of Israelis as a legitimate military tactic or political bargaining tool. Finally, we call for the perpetrators and co-conspirators to be held accountable through criminal trials, civil litigation, and the application of universal jurisdiction.
Never Again: The Hostages and Postwar Norms
Gasps echoed through the aisles as the plane touched down in Tel Aviv, and passengers opened their phones for the first time in 12 hours. A man in front of me prayed. The first of the last twenty hostages had been freed! As we stood to exit the plane, all words were of the good news. You didn’t need to know Hebrew, French, or English to hear the exuberant joy and disbelieving relief in the voices.
Waiting for passport control, travelers stood in incredulous awe before the ubiquitous posters of hostages. In front of me in line, an African American tourist turned back to say, “I just feel Israeli today! Who wouldn’t, with a mood like this?” There were no taxis available as the visit by President Trump had shut the highway, but no one seemed to mind. I stopped to buy a train ticket, but an attendant batted me away. “No tickets today! No one should need tickets today!” He lifted the gate and waved me through.
Exiting the train in Tel Aviv, I was surrounded by people singing and dancing in the streets. The skyscrapers were covered in messages of thanksgiving. Hamas had, in their usual cruelty, stretched out the release of the hostages over the whole day, which meant that with each passing moment, there was new good news. Pushed along by the great crowd, I walked towards Hostage Square.
For the last two years, the question of the hostages– the two hundred and fifty-one innocent civilians of thirteen nations, kidnapped and tortured to instill fear in and extract concessions from a democratic state– has dominated Israel. But what nation would not be concerned with a hostage crisis of its own citizens on its own borders?
Significant international attention has been paid to the hostages, especially by Jews of the diaspora, including those with few or no ties to Israel. The horrific antisemitic attack on Boulder Jews this past summer highlighted a remarkable fact: in a small Colorado town, almost two years after the hostages were kidnapped, dozens were still marching weekly to raise awareness of their plight. Posters of the hostages hang across major American cities, patiently reposted after every antisemitic defacement. I met a man in rural New Hampshire who wore a dog tag reading “All of the hostages – now!” in Hebrew and English. He could not read Hebrew and had not attended a synagogue since his bar mitzvah fifty years before, but he felt compelled to keep raising awareness of the plight of the hostages.
It is tempting to argue that this sustained wave of activism by American Jews is nothing new. The majority of American Jews have always been supportive of both Israel and the plight of international Jews. But the attention and empathy paid by American Jews to the hostage crisis represent something deeper.
The postwar international order has been predicated on the mantra: ‘never again.’ Never again must civilians live in fear of kidnapping, torture, and abuse. We have not fully lived up to that dream, yet it persists, especially in Jews who have often been the victims of lawless regimes and irrational hate. Hamas’s kidnapping of the hostages represents a direct blow to that postwar order. Standing for the hostages was not just an act of solidarity by diaspora Jews. It was a defense of the rule of law, state authority, and democratic responsibility. If Hamas could take Jews in Israel hostage, civilians everywhere were at risk. But if the hostages were safe, all civilians of all nations would be safe.
Back in Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, hundreds of thousands had pressed into the square and the surrounding streets. Many were weeping. Others knelt on the ground, unable to stand from emotion. They were celebrating the return of twenty innocent human beings made to endure horrors. But they were also celebrating the return of a sense of dignity and justice that Hamas had robbed not just Israel, but the world of. Back in America, I am sure, they are celebrating the same thing.
By a JIJ Intern
Never Again: The Hostages and Postwar Norms
Gasps echoed through the aisles as the plane touched down in Tel Aviv, and passengers opened their phones for the first time in 12 hours. A man in front of me prayed. The first of the last twenty hostages had been freed! As we stood to exit the plane, all words were of the good news. You didn’t need to know Hebrew, French, or English to hear the exuberant joy and disbelieving relief in the voices.
Waiting for passport control, travelers stood in incredulous awe before the ubiquitous posters of hostages. In front of me in line, an African American tourist turned back to say, “I just feel Israeli today! Who wouldn’t, with a mood like this?” There were no taxis available as the visit by President Trump had shut the highway, but no one seemed to mind. I stopped to buy a train ticket, but an attendant batted me away. “No tickets today! No one should need tickets today!” He lifted the gate and waved me through.
Exiting the train in Tel Aviv, I was surrounded by people singing and dancing in the streets. The skyscrapers were covered in messages of thanksgiving. Hamas had, in their usual cruelty, stretched out the release of the hostages over the whole day, which meant that with each passing moment, there was new good news. Pushed along by the great crowd, I walked towards Hostage Square.
For the last two years, the question of the hostages– the two hundred and fifty-one innocent civilians of thirteen nations, kidnapped and tortured to instill fear in and extract concessions from a democratic state– has dominated Israel. But what nation would not be concerned with a hostage crisis of its own citizens on its own borders?
Significant international attention has been paid to the hostages, especially by Jews of the diaspora, including those with few or no ties to Israel. The horrific antisemitic attack on Boulder Jews this past summer highlighted a remarkable fact: in a small Colorado town, almost two years after the hostages were kidnapped, dozens were still marching weekly to raise awareness of their plight. Posters of the hostages hang across major American cities, patiently reposted after every antisemitic defacement. I met a man in rural New Hampshire who wore a dog tag reading “All of the hostages – now!” in Hebrew and English. He could not read Hebrew and had not attended a synagogue since his bar mitzvah fifty years before, but he felt compelled to keep raising awareness of the plight of the hostages.
It is tempting to argue that this sustained wave of activism by American Jews is nothing new. The majority of American Jews have always been supportive of both Israel and the plight of international Jews. But the attention and empathy paid by American Jews to the hostage crisis represent something deeper.
The postwar international order has been predicated on the mantra: ‘never again.’ Never again must civilians live in fear of kidnapping, torture, and abuse. We have not fully lived up to that dream, yet it persists, especially in Jews who have often been the victims of lawless regimes and irrational hate. Hamas’s kidnapping of the hostages represents a direct blow to that postwar order. Standing for the hostages was not just an act of solidarity by diaspora Jews. It was a defense of the rule of law, state authority, and democratic responsibility. If Hamas could take Jews in Israel hostage, civilians everywhere were at risk. But if the hostages were safe, all civilians of all nations would be safe.
Back in Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, hundreds of thousands had pressed into the square and the surrounding streets. Many were weeping. Others knelt on the ground, unable to stand from emotion. They were celebrating the return of twenty innocent human beings made to endure horrors. But they were also celebrating the return of a sense of dignity and justice that Hamas had robbed not just Israel, but the world of. Back in America, I am sure, they are celebrating the same thing.
By a JIJ Intern
UNICEF's Lack of involvement in the protection of Israeli children
In a letter to Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF, the Jerusalem Institute of Justice calls upon UNICEF to uphold the principles outlined in the United Nations Convention On The Rights Of The Child, which guides UNICEF's mandate.
Specifically, we emphasize that according to the Convention, UNICEF must ensure that no child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment (article 37) and take all feasible measures to ensure the protection and care of children affected by an armed conflict (article 38).
While UNICEF has made public statements about supporting children in the Gaza Strip and emphasizing the critical need to protect them, we earnestly implore that equal attention and support be extended to Israeli children who are not collateral damage of the conflict but rather a deliberate target of these terrorist groups.
Disturbingly, numerous Israeli children, including infants, have lost their parents due to heinous acts of terrorism. This is the case of the 10-month-old twins of Itay and Hadar Berdichevsky, a young couple of 30, who placed their children in a hidden shelter when they heard terrorists at their door. The couple valiantly attempted to shield their babies from harm, but tragically, they were murdered during the attack. The twins survived the ordeal, left orphaned by this senseless act of violence.
Moreover, children, including babies, have been horrifically murdered by Hamas, as verified by various reliable sources, including U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who confirmed that dozens of Israeli babies were murdered, beheaded, and burnt by Hamas terrorists.
The lack of UNICEF's involvement in the protection of Israeli children is perplexing and unacceptable. We look to UNICEF to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to the protection and well-being of ALL children in the region.
Free the Hostages - Petition to the International Red Cross
JERUSALEM INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE LEADS COALITION OF 50 GROUPS URGING THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS
TO SECURE RELEASE OF THE GAZA HOSTAGES
A coalition of 50 organizations urge the ICRC to verify the status of more than 150 Israelis kidnapped and taken to the Gaza Strip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4507HRUDpNQ
In the wake of Hamas’ barbaric rampage through the civilian communities of southern Israel, the Jerusalem Institute of Justice, an Israeli human rights NGO, led a coalition of 50 organizations in urging the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to verify the status of the 150+ Israeli hostages taken into captivity in Gaza.
“Hamas has openly advertised its penchant for torturing, raping, denying medical treatment, degrading, humiliating, and threatening to execute these hostages,” said Uri Morad, Director of International Law & Public Diplomacy for the Jerusalem Institute of Justice (JIJ). “The International Red Cross must act urgently to locate and establish communication with the kidnapped Israelis if it has any hope of fulfilling its mission and bringing an end to this war.”
In a joint letter, JIJ advocacy efforts were joined by prominent Israeli, North American, and European organizations who are committed to countering anti-Semitism and anti-Israel bias, including the Anti-Defamation League, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, NGO Monitor, Middle East Forum, and StandWithUs. The group also included several Jewish and Christian communities, including the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey, Israel Christian Nexus, and numerous diaspora synagogues.
Specifically, the coalition urged the International Red Cross to take the following steps:
- Locate and establish communication with the Israelis held hostage in the Gaza Strip.
- Call for Hamas to cease its heinous acts of raping and sexually abusing Israelis.
- Condemn the use of human shields as military targets, including hospitals and schools, and the horrifying practice of exhibiting and mutilating dead bodies.
- Facilitate the immediate return of the Israeli hostages.
“This past week constitutes the worst time in Jewish history since the Holocaust, a time when the International Red Cross was, by its own admission, ‘impotent’ in the face of Nazi persecution and genocide,” said Flavia Sevald, CEO of JIJ. “In today’s war, the perpetrators may have changed, but their agenda is the same. The International Red Cross has a double duty to get it right this time.”
The coalition urges the ICRC to locate the hostages, demand Hamas cease raping and abusing them, condemn using human shields, and facilitate the hostages' return to Israel. Lives hang in the balance.
The ICRC has a duty to act now to prevent further torture, rape, and murder of innocents. Sign and share this critical petition so that together, we can pressure the ICRC to pressure Hamas to #FreeTheHostages.
Jerusalem Institute of Justice (JIJ) is the only Israeli human rights NGO with consultative status before the United Nations that is pro-Israel. Within the international community, JIJ has persistently advocated for the release of Israeli citizens from captivity. Within Israel, JIJ provides free legal aid to minority ethnic and religious groups, with a track record of 25 precedent-setting victories in the Israeli Supreme Court.
PETITION TO THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS
Dear International Red Cross,
We, the undersigned, express our profound concerns regarding the current atrocities perpetrated by Hamas and other terrorist organizations within Israel. We respectfully urge the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to act in accordance with its mandate to prevent the ongoing breaches of International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
Commencing from the morning of Saturday, 7th October, Hamas and other terrorists affiliated with various extremist groups from the Gaza Strip have infiltrated Israeli territory, resulting in the mass murder and abduction of hundreds of civilians and soldiers. This ongoing terrorist assault represents a blatant and persistent violation of human rights and international humanitarian law, including customary law and Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions.
The data regarding this ongoing conflict is both alarming and unequivocal, resulting in the tragic loss of over 1,300 innocent lives and the abduction of more than 150 Israelis, including women, children, the elderly, and other individuals granted special protection under IHL. These abductions were carried out violently within their homes. Moreover, more than 3,000 individuals have sustained injuries. Notably, over 5,000 rockets have been indiscriminately launched towards Israeli citizens from the Gaza Strip, a clear violation of fundamental IHL rules. Evidence is also emerging of a pattern of gross human rights violations, including torture, dismemberment, beheadings, the use of rape as a weapon of war, and the desecration of victims' dead bodies and the use of the abducted as human shields.
The ICRC was established precisely to safeguard and assist victims of armed conflicts and ensure compliance with IHL. As part of its mission, the ICRC is obligated to actively contribute to the application of the law in armed conflict scenarios.
In light of this, we respectfully request that the ICRC undertake the following actions, integral to its mandate, to protect the rights of those being abducted, injured, killed, and targeted by Hamas and other terrorist groups:
- Locate and establish communication with kidnapped Israelis:
- Locate and establish communication with the Israelis held hostage in the Gaza Strip, ensuring their treatment and living conditions align with IHL. 1.
- Enforce compliance with IHL by Hamas and other terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip, specifically:
- Cease the murder of civilians and soldiers.
- Halt the indiscriminate launching of missiles and rockets.
- Stop targeting civilians and groups protected under IHL.
- Cease the heinous acts of raping and sexually abusing Israelis.
- End the use of human shields to cover military targets, including buildings such as hospitals and schools.
- Put an immediate stop to the horrifying practice of exhibiting and mutilating the bodies of those murdered by them.
- Return Israeli hostages taken into the Gaza Strip, including Hadar Goldin, Oron Shaul, Avera Mengistu, and Isham Al-Sayed. 1.
We are aware of the recent statement issued by the ICRC and we trust that, in line with its mission and commitment to humanity and IHL, the ICRC will urgently and effectively address these critical matters to alleviate the suffering and uphold the rights of those affected by this outrageous situation.
PETITION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS. THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO SIGNED!
Free the Hostages - Petition to the International Red Cross
JERUSALEM INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE LEADS COALITION OF 50 GROUPS URGING THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS
TO SECURE RELEASE OF THE GAZA HOSTAGES
A coalition of 50 organizations urge the ICRC to verify the status of more than 150 Israelis kidnapped and taken to the Gaza Strip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4507HRUDpNQ
In the wake of Hamas’ barbaric rampage through the civilian communities of southern Israel, the Jerusalem Institute of Justice, an Israeli human rights NGO, led a coalition of 50 organizations in urging the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to verify the status of the 150+ Israeli hostages taken into captivity in Gaza.
“Hamas has openly advertised its penchant for torturing, raping, denying medical treatment, degrading, humiliating, and threatening to execute these hostages,” said Uri Morad, Director of International Law & Public Diplomacy for the Jerusalem Institute of Justice (JIJ). “The International Red Cross must act urgently to locate and establish communication with the kidnapped Israelis if it has any hope of fulfilling its mission and bringing an end to this war.”
In a joint letter, JIJ advocacy efforts were joined by prominent Israeli, North American, and European organizations who are committed to countering anti-Semitism and anti-Israel bias, including the Anti-Defamation League, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, NGO Monitor, Middle East Forum, and StandWithUs. The group also included several Jewish and Christian communities, including the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey, Israel Christian Nexus, and numerous diaspora synagogues.
Specifically, the coalition urged the International Red Cross to take the following steps:
- Locate and establish communication with the Israelis held hostage in the Gaza Strip.
- Call for Hamas to cease its heinous acts of raping and sexually abusing Israelis.
- Condemn the use of human shields as military targets, including hospitals and schools, and the horrifying practice of exhibiting and mutilating dead bodies.
- Facilitate the immediate return of the Israeli hostages.
“This past week constitutes the worst time in Jewish history since the Holocaust, a time when the International Red Cross was, by its own admission, ‘impotent’ in the face of Nazi persecution and genocide,” said Flavia Sevald, CEO of JIJ. “In today’s war, the perpetrators may have changed, but their agenda is the same. The International Red Cross has a double duty to get it right this time.”
The coalition urges the ICRC to locate the hostages, demand Hamas cease raping and abusing them, condemn using human shields, and facilitate the hostages' return to Israel. Lives hang in the balance.
The ICRC has a duty to act now to prevent further torture, rape, and murder of innocents. Sign and share this critical petition so that together, we can pressure the ICRC to pressure Hamas to #FreeTheHostages.
Jerusalem Institute of Justice (JIJ) is the only Israeli human rights NGO with consultative status before the United Nations that is pro-Israel. Within the international community, JIJ has persistently advocated for the release of Israeli citizens from captivity. Within Israel, JIJ provides free legal aid to minority ethnic and religious groups, with a track record of 25 precedent-setting victories in the Israeli Supreme Court.
PETITION TO THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS
Dear International Red Cross,
We, the undersigned, express our profound concerns regarding the current atrocities perpetrated by Hamas and other terrorist organizations within Israel. We respectfully urge the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to act in accordance with its mandate to prevent the ongoing breaches of International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
Commencing from the morning of Saturday, 7th October, Hamas and other terrorists affiliated with various extremist groups from the Gaza Strip have infiltrated Israeli territory, resulting in the mass murder and abduction of hundreds of civilians and soldiers. This ongoing terrorist assault represents a blatant and persistent violation of human rights and international humanitarian law, including customary law and Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions.
The data regarding this ongoing conflict is both alarming and unequivocal, resulting in the tragic loss of over 1,300 innocent lives and the abduction of more than 150 Israelis, including women, children, the elderly, and other individuals granted special protection under IHL. These abductions were carried out violently within their homes. Moreover, more than 3,000 individuals have sustained injuries. Notably, over 5,000 rockets have been indiscriminately launched towards Israeli citizens from the Gaza Strip, a clear violation of fundamental IHL rules. Evidence is also emerging of a pattern of gross human rights violations, including torture, dismemberment, beheadings, the use of rape as a weapon of war, and the desecration of victims' dead bodies and the use of the abducted as human shields.
The ICRC was established precisely to safeguard and assist victims of armed conflicts and ensure compliance with IHL. As part of its mission, the ICRC is obligated to actively contribute to the application of the law in armed conflict scenarios.
In light of this, we respectfully request that the ICRC undertake the following actions, integral to its mandate, to protect the rights of those being abducted, injured, killed, and targeted by Hamas and other terrorist groups:
- Locate and establish communication with kidnapped Israelis:
- Locate and establish communication with the Israelis held hostage in the Gaza Strip, ensuring their treatment and living conditions align with IHL. 1.
- Enforce compliance with IHL by Hamas and other terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip, specifically:
- Cease the murder of civilians and soldiers.
- Halt the indiscriminate launching of missiles and rockets.
- Stop targeting civilians and groups protected under IHL.
- Cease the heinous acts of raping and sexually abusing Israelis.
- End the use of human shields to cover military targets, including buildings such as hospitals and schools.
- Put an immediate stop to the horrifying practice of exhibiting and mutilating the bodies of those murdered by them.
- Return Israeli hostages taken into the Gaza Strip, including Hadar Goldin, Oron Shaul, Avera Mengistu, and Isham Al-Sayed. 1.
We are aware of the recent statement issued by the ICRC and we trust that, in line with its mission and commitment to humanity and IHL, the ICRC will urgently and effectively address these critical matters to alleviate the suffering and uphold the rights of those affected by this outrageous situation.
PETITION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS. THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO SIGNED!
LOCATE AND FACILITATE THE RELEASE OF THE HOSTAGES
JERUSALEM INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE LEADS COALITION OF 50 ORGANIZATIONS
URGING INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS TO SECURE RELEASE OF THE GAZA CAPTIVES
A coalition of 50 organizations urge the ICRC to verify the status of more than 150 Israelis kidnapped in the Gaza Strip
In the wake of Hamas’ barbaric rampage through the civilian communities of southern Israel, the Jerusalem Institute of Justice, the Jerusalem Institute of Justice, leads a coalition of 50 organizations in urging the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to verify the status of the 150+ Israeli hostages taken into captivity in Gaza. Read the letter here
This list reflects a broad consensus between Israel and the global Diaspora, religious and secular organizations, and Jewish and Christian communities. In this dark time for our nation, our hearts are moved by the opportunity to speak with one voice. In addition to sending this letter, we are requesting an urgent meeting with the Jerusalem staff of the ICRC and plan to bring some of the families of the Israeli hostages to that meeting to make personal the urgency of our appeal.
“Hamas has openly advertised its penchant for torturing, raping, denying medical treatment, degrading, humiliating, and threatening to execute these hostages,” said Uri Morad, Director of International Law & Public Diplomacy for the Jerusalem Institute of Justice (JIJ). “The International Red Cross must act urgently to locate and establish communication with the kidnapped Israelis if it has any hope of fulfilling its mission and bringing an end to this war.”
In a joint letter, JIJ advocacy efforts were joined by prominent Israeli, North American, and European organizations who are committed to countering anti-Semitism and anti-Israel bias, including the Anti-Defamation League, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, NGO Monitor, Middle East Forum, and StandWithUs. The group also included several Jewish and Christian communities, including the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey, Israel Christian Nexus, and numerous diaspora synagogues.
Specifically, the coalition urged the International Red Cross to take the following steps:
• Locate and establish communication with the Israelis held hostage in the Gaza Strip.
• Call for Hamas to cease its heinous acts of raping and sexually abusing Israelis.
• Condemn the use of human shields as military targets, including hospitals and schools, and the horrifying practice of exhibiting and mutilating dead bodies.
• Facilitate the immediate return of the Israeli hostages.
“This past week constitutes the worst time in Jewish history since the Holocaust, a time when the International Red Cross was, by its own admission, ‘impotent’ in the face of Nazi persecution and genocide,” said Flavia Sevald, CEO of JIJ. “In today’s war, the perpetrators may have changed, but their agenda is the same. The International Red Cross has a double duty to get it right this time.”
Jerusalem Institute of Justice (JIJ) is the only Israeli human rights NGO with consultative status before the United Nations that is pro-Israel. Within the international community, JIJ has persistently advocated for the release of Israeli citizens from captivity. Within Israel, JIJ provides free legal aid to minority ethnic and religious groups, with a track record of 25 precedent-setting victories in the Israeli Supreme Court.
ICRC- Must Locate and Facilitate Release of Hostages
JERUSALEM INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE LEADS COALITION OF 50 ORGANIZATIONS
URGING INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS TO SECURE RELEASE OF THE GAZA CAPTIVES
A coalition of 50 organizations urge the ICRC to verify the status of more than 150 Israelis kidnapped in the Gaza Strip
In the wake of Hamas’ barbaric rampage through the civilian communities of southern Israel, the Jerusalem Institute of Justice leads a coalition of 50 organizations in urging the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to verify the status of the 150+ Israeli hostages taken into captivity in Gaza. Here
This list reflects a broad consensus between Israel and the global Diaspora, religious and secular organizations. In this dark time for our nation, our hearts are moved by the opportunity to speak with one voice. In addition to sending this letter, we are requesting an urgent meeting with the Jerusalem staff of the ICRC and plan to bring some of the families of the Israeli hostages to that meeting to make personal the urgency of our appeal.
“Hamas has openly advertised its penchant for torturing, raping, denying medical treatment, degrading, humiliating, and threatening to execute these hostages,” said Uri Morad, Director of International Law & Public Diplomacy for the Jerusalem Institute of Justice (JIJ). “The International Red Cross must act urgently to locate and establish communication with the kidnapped Israelis if it has any hope of fulfilling its mission and bringing an end to this war.”
In a joint letter, JIJ advocacy efforts were joined by prominent Israeli, North American, and European organizations who are committed to countering anti-Semitism and anti-Israel bias, including the Anti-Defamation League, Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, NGO Monitor, Middle East Forum, and StandWithUs. The group also included several Jewish and Christian communities, including the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey, Israel Christian Nexus, and numerous diaspora synagogues.
Specifically, the coalition urged the International Red Cross to take the following steps:
• Locate and establish communication with the Israelis held hostage in the Gaza Strip.
• Call for Hamas to cease its heinous acts of raping and sexually abusing Israelis.
• Condemn the use of human shields as military targets, including hospitals and schools, and the horrifying practice of exhibiting and mutilating dead bodies.
• Facilitate the immediate return of the Israeli hostages.
“This past week constitutes the worst time in Jewish history since the Holocaust, a time when the International Red Cross was, by its own admission, ‘impotent’ in the face of Nazi persecution and genocide,” said Flavia Sevald, CEO of JIJ. “In today’s war, the perpetrators may have changed, but their agenda is the same. The International Red Cross has a double duty to get it right this time.”
Jerusalem Institute of Justice (JIJ) is the only Israeli human rights NGO with consultative status before the United Nations that is pro-Israel. Within the international community, JIJ has persistently advocated for the release of Israeli citizens from captivity. Within Israel, JIJ provides free legal aid to minority ethnic and religious groups, with a track record of 25 precedent-setting victories in the Israeli Supreme Court.