Israeli Supreme Court allows Red Cross visits to Palestinian prisoners

Israel's Supreme Court has unanimously ruled in favor of allowing the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to visit Palestinian security prisoners held in Israeli jails. The decision, confirmed by an ICRC source, overturns restrictions previously implemented by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

These restrictions were put in place following the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the abduction of 250 others. Many individuals currently detained in Israeli military and prison facilities were captured after these attacks.

Patrick Griffiths, the ICRC's head of communications, expressed readiness to resume visitation activities. He highlighted the ICRC's crucial function in monitoring detention conditions and ensuring that the treatment of detainees aligns with the Geneva Conventions. The organization has requested to restart its work in Israeli detention centers as soon as possible.

Griffiths stressed that the ICRC's access to detainees and the ability to meet them individually are obligations under international humanitarian law. He described the court's ruling as a positive step. According to Israeli media reports, the three justices of Israel's highest court indicated that Netanyahu's government had failed to provide sufficient legal grounds to justify its policy, even after the return of all Israeli hostages from the Gaza Strip.