Press Room

To prevent and alleviate human suffering wherever it may be found; to protect life and health and ensure respect for the human being; to promote mutual understanding, friendship, cooperation and lasting peace among all peoples.

No discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions. Relief is guided solely by needs, giving priority to the most urgent cases of distress.

In order to enjoy the confidence of all, the Movement may not take sides in hostilities or engage at any time in controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature.

The Movement is independent. National Societies, while auxiliaries to their governments, must always maintain their autonomy so that they may act in accordance with the Fundamental Principles.

A voluntary relief movement not prompted in any manner by desire for gain.

There can be only one Red Cross or Red Crescent Society in any one country. It must be open to all and carry on its humanitarian work throughout its territory.

The Movement is worldwide; all Societies have equal status and share equal responsibilities and duties in helping each other.

Parties must at all times distinguish between civilians and combatants and between civilian objects and military objectives. Attacks may only be directed against military objectives; indiscriminate attacks are prohibited.

An attack is prohibited if it may be expected to cause incidental civilian death, injury or damage that would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated.

Constant care must be taken to spare civilians. All feasible precautions must be taken in the choice of means and methods of attack, and parties must protect civilians under their control against the effects of attacks.

It is prohibited to attack, destroy, remove or render useless objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, such as foodstuffs, crops, livestock, drinking-water installations and supplies, and irrigation works. Energy, heating and water systems on which civilians depend demand particular care.

Medical units, transports and personnel, civilian hospitals and those caring for the wounded and sick must be respected and protected in all circumstances. They lose protection only if used to commit acts harmful to the enemy, and only after a warning.

Parties must allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of impartial humanitarian relief for civilians in need. An occupying power must agree to and facilitate relief schemes when the population is inadequately supplied.

Prisoners of war must be humanely treated at all times and protected against violence, intimidation, insults and public curiosity. They must be able to inform their families of their capture and correspond, must be released and repatriated without delay after the cessation of active hostilities, and ICRC delegates must be permitted to visit them.

Protected persons deprived of liberty are entitled to humane treatment, respect for their person, honour and family rights, and fundamental judicial guarantees. ICRC delegates must have access to all places where protected persons are held.

The taking of hostages is prohibited in all circumstances. Hostages must be treated humanely and released.

Families have the right to know the fate of their relatives. Parties must search for persons reported missing, record and transmit information on detained, wounded, sick and dead persons (including via the ICRC Central Tracing Agency), and respect and return the remains of the dead.

An occupying power must restore and ensure public order and civil life, ensure food and medical supplies, protect the population and its property, and may not transfer parts of its own civilian population into, or forcibly transfer protected persons out of, occupied territory.

Children are entitled to special respect and protection, including family reunification, education and care, and must not be recruited into armed forces or allowed to take part in hostilities.

The ICRC may offer its services and undertake humanitarian activities for the protection and relief of victims of armed conflict, subject to the consent of the parties concerned.

The ICRC raises concerns about the conduct of hostilities and the treatment of detainees directly and confidentially with the authorities and parties concerned. Confidentiality is a working method that secures access to people in need; it is not silence or complicity.

With the agreement of the parties, the ICRC acts as a neutral intermediary: facilitating releases and exchanges of detainees and hostages, transfers of remains, family messages and humanitarian arrangements. It does not negotiate the terms of those agreements.

As a rule, the ICRC does not publicly attribute responsibility for specific violations. Public denunciation is reserved for exceptional circumstances, when violations are major and repeated and confidential steps have failed.

IHL binds all parties to an armed conflict equally, regardless of the cause they defend or who started the conflict. Restating an obligation for all parties is not an equivalence between them.

The red cross, red crescent and red crystal emblems are protected under the Geneva Conventions. Misuse, imitation or impersonation of the emblem or the Red Cross name (including in scams) is prohibited and undermines the protection of those who rely on it.

Open with the people affected and the humanitarian impact, not with the politics or the parties.

Recall the relevant IHL rule as an obligation that applies equally to all parties to the conflict.

When accused of silence, explain the confidential bilateral dialogue and the neutral-intermediary role and what they make possible for people in need.

Never confirm, deny or speculate about the content of confidential dialogue or the specifics of detention visits.

Correct factual errors quickly, with verifiable, published ICRC figures and sources.

Acknowledge the anguish of families of the missing, detained and hostages; never dismiss it.

Do not repeat hostile or false framing, even to rebut it. State the accurate position positively.

Escalate anything affecting staff safety or operational access to the delegation immediately.

Criticism that ICRC statements on strikes against energy infrastructure placed the parties on an equal footing.

Criticism, notably from Ukrainian families and officials, that the ICRC has not secured access to Ukrainian POWs held by Russia.

Criticism of the ICRC's role and visibility regarding hostages held in Gaza.

Questions on why the ICRC has not been able to visit Palestinian detainees held by Israel since 7 October 2023.

Accusations that the ICRC has been silent on civilian harm in Gaza.

Reporting based on material presented as leaked confidential ICRC documents.

Criticism of the activities and funding of the Russian Red Cross in occupied areas of Ukraine.

Fraudulent appeals, accounts or offers using the Red Cross name or emblem.