Elie Wiesel, the Holocaust survivor and Nobel laureate, once wrote, “We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” These words resonate profoundly when examining the complex relationship between Israel and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

On Jan. 16, just days before Hamas released the first three hostages under the latest ceasefire agreement, the ICRC defended its faulty neutrality with a post on social media saying: “In times of war, neutrality is not indifference. It is a deliberate way of working to be able to help without taking sides, allowing us to reach those who need it most.” Yet in the wake of the dramatic release of hostages Romi Gonen, Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher, the ICRC has been criticized for not doing more.