Activists fast in 136 hour hunger strike for Gaza hostages in Geneva
The six activists, fasting one hour per hostage held captive in Gaza, wish to protest against the Red Cross for its "ineffectual response" to the crisis.
A group of activists will be carrying out a 136-hour hunger strike in Geneva, on the campus of the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross, in a show of solidarity for the hostages kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, according to a press release from the group #BringThemHomeNowGeneva. Every hour of fasting is to symbolize one hostage still held in Gaza.
The 6 Israeli and American activists will begin the demonstration on Monday and the group said they hope to embody that there can be no "business as usual" while hostages remain in captivity.
Protesting the Red Cross
Explaining the location of the protest, the group said that they also wished to decry the Red Cross’s "ineffectual response" to the kidnappings of Israelis.
The Red Cross has been heavily criticized for failing to take actions to ensure the well-being of those in captivity, in part, by not delivering life-saving medication to the hostages. "We have not refused this," International Committee of the Red Cross representative Sarah Davies said. "It is simply impossible for us to do so right now as there is no agreement between the parties. As we have stated many times, if and when an agreement is reached, we are ready to visit and deliver medication."
In another incident that caused public outrage, a representative of the Red Cross reprimanded the family of a hostage, insisting that they should “think about the Palestinian side.”
Rabbi Avidan Freedman, part of the fasting group, emphasized the obligation to respond actively, expressing solidarity with 136 collective hours of fasting. They demand ICRC intervention for the hostages' immediate release.
The group was also behind the "Hamas Tunnels Experience" installation at the Palace of Nations which will take place on February 5 and 6.
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