Tel Aviv, MINA – Israeli authorities have barred representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) from visiting Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, local media reported on Wednesday.
According to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN, Defense Minister Israel Katz signed an order prohibiting Red Cross teams from visiting prisoners, claiming such visits “endanger state security.”
The order reportedly applies to thousands of Palestinians held by the Israeli army under the classification of “unlawful combatants”—a term used for those detained from Gaza and nearby areas since Israel launched its offensive on the enclave in October 2023.
Under Israel’s “unlawful combatants” legislation, detainees can be held indefinitely without trial or access to legal representation for long periods. As of July, the Israeli Prison Service recorded 2,454 prisoners held under this designation.
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Human rights groups and Palestinian lawyers have reported that these prisoners face systematic torture, including beatings, starvation, and medical neglect.
Since October 2023, Israel’s military aggression in Gaza have killed more than 68,600 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured over 170,600 others. The devastating conflict was paused under a ceasefire agreement that took effect on Oct. 10 as part of former US President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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