The return of dead hostages from Gaza ought to be done in private, the Red Cross has said, after Hamas staged a handover ceremony for the bodies of four hostages, AFP reports.

“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.