The truce that came into effect last month largely halted more than 15 months of war, but has come under increasing strain in recent days.
“We call on the parties to maintain the ceasefire so that these crucial efforts can continue,” the ICRC said in a statement.
“Hundreds of thousands of lives depend on it.”
After Hamas threatened to postpone the next hostage release, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned this week that fighting might resume if hostages were not released by Saturday.
His threat echoed that of US President Donald Trump, who said a day earlier that “hell” would break out if Hamas failed to release “all” Israeli hostages by Saturday.
The ICRC insisted that “all of the remaining hostages need to be released”, while “people in Gaza need respite from violence and access to life-saving humanitarian aid”.
“This all depends on the continuation of the ceasefire agreement.” The ceasefire deal was brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States after months of efforts under the administration of former US president Joe Biden.
Under the first stage of the ceasefire deal, the two warring sides were to begin indirect negotiations for the second stage 16 days after the first phase came into effect on January 19. Until now, these negotiations have not started, though there have been five hostage-prisoner swaps as agreed.
Hamas has released 16 Israeli hostages in these five swaps, while Israel freed hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
The ICRC said it remained “committed to acting as a humanitarian intermediary, at the request of the parties, to support the implementation of this agreement and facilitate dignified releases of hostages and detainees and bring life-saving aid into Gaza”.
“We reiterate our long-standing call for all hostages to be released in a dignified and safe manner, for more aid to enter Gaza, and for the International Committee of the Red Cross to have access to all hostages and detainees.”
The Geneva-based organisation said that “countless lives have been saved over the three weeks of the ceasefire”.
“Any reversal risks plunging people back into the misery
and despair.”
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