Red Cross urges both Israel, Palestinians to respect civilians
By: Associated Press
Published: July 2, 2006
The international Red Cross on Sunday urged both Israel and Palestinians to respect international law and protect civilians.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement it was concerned by the escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip in recent days.
Israel began its land offensive Wednesday in an effort to win the release of an Israeli soldier kidnapped by militants a week ago.
The statement did not mention the Israeli armed forces but appealed to "all military operations ... to prevent unnecessary suffering among the civilian population."
The neutral agency also urged those detaining Israeli Cpl. Gilad Shalit "to treat him humanely and to respect his life and his dignity in accordance with international humanitarian law."
There has been no direct evidence of the soldier's condition since he was seized.
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