Siegels demand urgent action from Red Cross

Former hostages, South African-born Aviva Siegel and her husband, Keith, went into the Red Cross South African head office in Pretoria on Monday, 18 August, to demand urgent humanitarian action for the remaining 50 hostages in Gaza.

Red Cross representatives finally acknowledged the plight of those still being held hostage in Gaza, according to South African Zionist Federation (SAZF) National Chairperson Craig Pantanowitz, who was with the Siegels and Bafana Modise from South African Friends of Israel in the meeting with the Red Cross.

They went to deliver a clear message that the world cannot stand by while 50 innocent people remain in Gaza’s tunnels, deprived of their most basic humanitarian rights.

The memorandum the Siegels handed over to the Red Cross demanded that it fulfil its mandate under the Geneva Convention to secure access to the hostages; verify their conditions; provide urgent medical assistance; restore family contact; and insist on humane treatment.

“Their representatives were gracious in hosting us and sensitive to what was being said by Keith and Aviva,” said Pantanowitz. Keith shared details of fellow hostages he had been with in the tunnels, describing who needed what care and the nature of their injuries.

In response, the Red Cross gave a clear commitment that it would “do everything in its power to get assistance to these people”, Pantanowitz told the SA Jewish Report. The Red Cross also emphasised that while its people in Gaza “absolutely do want to help” and “do not take political sides”, the reality is that Hamas makes it “incredibly difficult” to get access to the hostages, Pantanowitz said. “It’s not a lack of will, they stressed, but an almost impossible situation created by those in control.

“They took comprehensive notes of what Keith and Aviva had to say, promising to pass their testimony on to the Red Cross head office in Geneva urgently. They conveyed that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is desperate to help, though they didn’t provide a timeline or guarantee of a response, acknowledging that Aviva had previously met with the head of the Red Cross in Geneva. At no point were they combative, antagonistic, or dismissive,” Pantanowitz said.

The SAZF organised the “Bring the Hostages Home” solidarity bus ride from Johannesburg to the ICRC’s offices. On the bus were the Siegels, and many from the Jewish community, civil society leaders, faith leaders, and political representatives.

The Siegels’ testimony gave the protest its moral force. Both were abducted from their home in Israel on 7 October 2023. Aviva endured 51 days in Hamas captivity, while Keith was held for an unimaginable 484 days underground. Their voices carried the pain of those still suffering.

The original bus planned for the journey, decorated with “Bring Them Home” posters, Israeli flags, yellow ribbons, and displays tracking the days of captivity, broke down, forcing passengers to use a replacement vehicle. For Keith, however, the double-decker bus – with its enclosed lower level and small windows – triggered a panic attack, necessitating that he travel in a private car.

The group had to remove all the decorations from the second bus as the owner of the company didn’t want any alignment to either side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which delayed the trip.

However, the bus and its passengers carried a clear message: the world cannot remain passive while 50 innocent people remain trapped in Gaza, deprived of their most basic human rights. Despite the Red Cross’s acknowledgement in Pretoria this week, more than 683 days have passed since the abductions, and the ICRC has yet to assist, see, or provide medical care to any of the hostages.

While Keith and Aviva were making their voices heard inside, a group of protesters were making their voices heard outside, singing on the street corner, “Am Yisrael Chai”; Hatikva; the South African national anthem; as well as chanting, “Bring them home, now!” in English and Zulu to gain more attention from those driving or walking past.

Waving Israeli flags, holding yellow balloons, wearing t-shirts with captives’ faces on the front, and showcasing various posters, the protesters had a lot of interaction with passersby, positive and negative.

People drove past honking their horns to show solidarity with the cause, however some honks were aimed to get the protesters’ attention to shouts of, “Free Palestine!” Others held out the middle finger, which urged protesters to sing louder and with more passion.

Political leaders and civil society representatives stood firmly with the Siegel family. Norman Fana Mkhonza, representing Reverend Kenneth Meshoe and the African Christian Democratic Party, said, “We are here at the Red Cross offices in Tshwane to demand that the Red Cross facilitate the unconditional release of the 50 hostages. They’ve been there for more than 682 days of hell. Hamas must unconditionally release their hostages for there to be peace.”

Theo Doyle of the Patriotic Alliance said, “We appeal to everyone, not only in South Africa but around the world, to stand with the families affected. G-d bless you, and may the hostages be released immediately.”

Daniel Schay of the Democratic Alliance emphasised South Africa’s responsibility, saying, “This is so important in South Africa, a country where we unfortunately have a good relationship with Hamas. We really should be doing more, speaking to Hamas directly, saying, ‘Enough is enough, the hostages need to come home now.’”

Klaas Mokgomole of Africans for Peace reinforced the urgent message, saying, “We are here to send a message and ask the International Red Cross to save our 50 hostages who have been suffering in Gaza for 682 days. We need them back home now.”

“I can’t say that the meeting is going to have any bearing on the situation, or if they can have any impact on the International Red Cross,” said Pantanowitz. “But I walked away feeling a renewed sense of hope that these people are on our side and not against us.”