Geneva/Beirut/Jerusalem (ICRC) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) today
facilitated the transfer of released detainee Nessim Nisr from Israel to Lebanon.
The handover operation took place in Rosh Hanikra / Ras Naqura at the Israeli-Lebanese border in
presence of ICRC delegates.
At the same time, Hezbollah officials at the border handed over to the ICRC a box of unidentified human remains, requesting that they be returned to Israel.
The ICRC duly facilitated this handover to the Israeli authorities.
"Our role is strictly humanitarian and part of our ongoing work to restore and maintain contact between people
detained in connection with armed conflict and their families," said Paul Conneally, deputy head of the ICRC delegation in Israel and the occupied territories.
"The ICRC is acting in its
capacity as a neutral intermediary at the request of the Israeli authorities and with the full consent of all parties concerned." Prior to Nessim Nisr's release and transfer, ICRC delegates had
regularly visited him to assess his conditions of detention and treatment.
They had also conveyed Red Cross messages (brief personal messages) between the detainee and his relatives.
For further information, please contact:
Helge Kvam, ICRC Jerusalem +972 52 601 91 50
Yael Segev-Eytan (Hebrew), ICRC Tel Aviv, tel.
+972 3 524 52 86 or +972
52 275 75 17
Christian Cardon, ICRC Beirut, tel.
+961 1 739 297/8/9 or +961 70 12 98 69
Claudia Mc Goldrick, ICRC Geneva, tel.
An Israeli soldier gestures beside an ambulance carrying a box, containing what Hezbollah says are remains of Israeli soldiers, at Rosh Hanikra along the Israel-Lebanon border June 1, 2008. Hezbollah said ...
