New RealityCheck Report Casts Doubt on Red Cross' Neutrality in Gaza

Investigative Report Uncovers ICRC’s Alleged Ties to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad

A recent investigative report has raised serious questions about the International Committee of the Red Cross’s (ICRC) neutrality, alleging that the organization has engaged with designated terrorist groups and prioritized Palestinian interests over Israeli civilians. The report, published by RealityCheck on March 10, 2025, presents specific instances where ICRC officials reportedly met with leaders of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), sparking renewed debate over the organization’s role in conflict zones.

Screenshot of Al Watan Voice article, reporting on Director of the ICRC in Gaza, his deputy, and ICRC Public Relations and Media Officer, meeting with senior leaders of Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Source: Al Watan Voice

Allegations of Bias and Compromised Neutrality

According to the report, RealityCheck’s investigation—based on specialized open source information—has uncovered disturbing details about the ICRC’s conduct in Gaza. Among the most serious allegations is that the ICRC has held meetings with leaders of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), two groups internationally recognized as terrorist organizations.

In one instance, on February 18, 2020, Gilan Devorn, the Director of the ICRC in Gaza, together with his deputy Fayez Al-Aqraa and Public Relations and Media Officer Youssef Al-Yaziji, are said to have met with senior PIJ figures. These meetings, the report claims, centered on discussing “the role of the International Committee of the Red Cross in pressuring the Israeli occupation” and efforts to “expose the crimes of the Israeli occupation.”

Furthermore, RealityCheck details a separate incident dating back to February 2, 2014, when ICRC spokespeople Masada Saif and Youssef Al-Yaziji allegedly met with senior Hamas officials. The meeting reportedly included Ihab Al-Ghusain, then serving as Hamas’s Director of Public Relations and Government Media Office. The purpose of the meeting was said to be the coordination of messaging, enhancement of cooperation, and even the training of journalists—a set of priorities that critics argue falls well outside the scope of the ICRC’s humanitarian mandate.

Screenshot of Al Watan Voice article, detailing ICRC meeting With Hamas officals, to discuss training their journalists. Source: Al Watan Voice

A Troubling Precedent in ICRC Operations

Critics have long voiced concerns that the ICRC’s actions in Gaza do not align with its mandate to remain neutral and solely focus on humanitarian assistance. The failure to visit Israeli hostages held in Gaza and its involvement in what have been described as “hostage release ceremonies” have only intensified these doubts.

ICRC spokesperson Hisham Mhanna has previously stated that the ICRC’s “top priority” in Gaza is securing the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. However, critics argue that this stance implicitly deprioritizes the safety of Israelis and undermines the principles of impartial humanitarian aid.

Further deepening the controversy, the report accuses Mhanna of referring to casualties in Gaza—including Hamas combatants—as “martyrs.” In Islamic tradition, the term “martyr” signifies a noble sacrifice for one’s faith. Critics warn that this vocabulary, along with the reference to the Israeli government and its military as “the occupation authorities,” mirrors rhetoric typically associated with Palestinian terror organizations. Such language, they argue, not only breaches the ICRC’s neutrality obligations but also risks further inflaming tensions in an already volatile region.

Echoes of Past Investigations

The latest findings from RealityCheck are not occurring in isolation. A previous investigation by Jewish Onliner found that a senior Gazan ICRC official attended multiple events organized by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terror group (PFLP), called for one of its leaders to be released from prison, and met with a Hamas co-founder, further questioning the organization’s ability to remain neutral.

In another investigation, Jewish Onliner exposed ties between Palestinian Red Cresent spokesmen and armed groups, with photographic evidence linking them to members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades. These investigations have repeatedly raised the specter of compromised impartiality within one of the world’s most respected humanitarian organizations.

The mounting evidence has not only cast a long shadow over the ICRC’s reputation but also prompted calls for greater transparency. Critics argue that by engaging with designated terror groups, the ICRC risks not only the safety of its personnel but also the very lives of the civilians it aims to protect. With allegations now bolstered by detailed documentation, pressure is mounting on international stakeholders, including the White House, members of the United States Congress, and European legislative bodies, to demand accountability and a reassessment of the ICRC’s operational policies.

Amal El-Eweiny, senior ICRC official in Gaza, photographed wearing an ICRC patch while attending an event for the U.S.-designated terror group PFLP. ICRC patches are also visible in the background of the event. Source: Facebook

The revelations come at a time when trust in international humanitarian organizations is already under intense scrutiny. In conflict zones where lives hang in the balance, any hint of bias can have dire consequences. Critics insist that the ICRC must reexamine its relationships with non-state armed groups and ensure that its humanitarian mission is not co-opted by political or ideological interests. Failure to do so risks not only eroding global confidence in the ICRC but also compromising the safety and security of vulnerable populations on all sides of the conflict.