The International Committee of the Red Cross has described recent videos showing hostages in Gaza as 'appalling,' highlighting the severe emaciation of individuals held by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Despite appeals from Israeli leaders for intervention, the Red Cross says it cannot access the hostages without safety guarantees from both Hamas and Israel, as much of Gaza remains an active combat zone. Hamas has indicated a conditional willingness to allow humanitarian access, but only if Israel agrees to halt military activity and permit more aid convoys. The Red Cross reports that food shortages and malnutrition are widespread in Gaza, affecting both civilians and aid workers, but refrains from commenting on specific claims regarding the hostages' conditions.