Israel's war council has determined, in light of President Joe Biden's demand for basic humanitarian aid to reach Gaza, that Israel will not allow any such aid to be delivered from its territory to the Gaza Strip until the hostages being held are returned.

The war council made a three-part announcement concerning the aid, according to The Times of Israel, reporting on X, formerly Twitter, about the conditions that have been put on the aid.

In addition to the hostage demand, the war council also insisted that the Red Cross would be able to visit the hostages being held by Hamas, and said it would work to mobilize international support for that to happen.

Further, the council said that "Israel will not thwart humanitarian supplies from reaching Gaza from Egypt as long as it is only food, water and medicine for the civilian population located in the southern Gaza Strip," but added that "any supplies that reach Hamas will be thwarted by Israel."

The announcement came after Biden said that Israel has agreed that humanitarian aid will be allowed to start coming into Gaza from Egypt, also with the understanding that items will be subject to inspections and not go to Hamas militants.

Israel had been cutting off fuel, water, and food to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip after the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, with mediators struggling to break the deadlock over allowing supplies to civilians and aid groups, as well as hospitals.

Israel has confirmed that food, water, and medicine will begin to be allowed through, but did not make the timing for it immediately clear.

Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said Wednesday that it has mobilized a convoy to carry 60 tons of medical and humanitarian aid into Gaza but that "access is urgently needed."

The aid includes a four-person surgical team including a chief surgeon, an orthopedic surgeon, an anesthetist, and a theatre nurse, who are remaining on standby to help the Gaza Strip's overwhelmed hospitals.

"It's critically important to deploy," ICRC chief surgeon Tom Potokar said. "We all know the situation is very bad. There are a huge number of wounded people and a lot of displaced people and ICRC has a role in helping these people in their suffering. The situation this time is much more difficult. There are far bigger numbers in terms of the people injured. The humanitarian crisis that is unfolding is on a much bigger scale."

The International Red Cross a neutral, impartial, and independent organization, further reports that the violence in Israel and Gaza is "at a level that the ICRC has not witnessed in many years."

"The conflict has the potential to spiral further out of control, causing even more suffering to civilians on both sides," it added. "In Gaza, hospitals are on the brink of collapse, electricity is running out and people have little food or water. The level of humanitarian needs created by the violence requires sustained humanitarian relief."

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