Israeli Supreme Court Upholds Red Cross Visits to Palestinian Prisoners

Israel's Supreme Court ruled that the International Committee of the Red Cross must be allowed to visit Palestinian prisoners, overturning a ban imposed during the Gaza war. This decision follows reports of mistreatment of prisoners, and the court found no legal basis for the prohibition under Israeli or international law.

Israel's Supreme Court has mandated that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) be granted access to Palestinian prisoners. This ruling overturns a controversial ban implemented amid the ongoing Gaza conflict, which had previously restricted independent verification of prisoners' treatment.

The decision came after a petition from several Israeli rights organizations, including the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), challenging the prohibition. Reports had surfaced of systemic abuses, starvation, and denial of medical care faced by Palestinian detainees.

While the Israel Prison Service stated its intention to comply with court orders, no specific timeline was given for resuming ICRC visits. The court determined that the ban lacked sufficient legal grounding and violated Israel's international humanitarian obligations.