GENEVA, Feb 20, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - The return of dead hostages from Gaza ought to be done in private, the Red Cross said, after Hamas staged a handover ceremony Thursday for the bodies of four hostages.

"These operations should be done privately out of the utmost respect for the deceased and for those left grieving. We have been unequivocal: every release -- whether of the living or the deceased -- must be conducted with dignity and privacy," the International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement.