Gaza Herald – The Ministry of Detainees and Ex-Detainees in the Gaza Strip has issued an urgent appeal to the International Committee of the Red Cross, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and international human rights organizations to intervene and save Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli detention camps.
The appeal comes ahead of Palestinian Prisoners’ Day, marked annually on April 17, amid growing concerns over the deteriorating conditions inside detention facilities.
In its statement, the ministry called on international bodies to assume their legal and moral responsibilities, warning that thousands of Palestinian detainees are subjected to serious violations that contravene international humanitarian law and the Fourth Geneva Convention.
The ministry said reports indicate that prison conditions have reached a “humanitarian catastrophe,” citing systematic starvation policies, severe medical neglect, overcrowding, degrading detention conditions, and complete isolation from the outside world, including denial of lawyer visits.
It urged immediate international action, including the deployment of independent inspection missions to assess prison conditions, pressure to ensure urgent medical care for sick and injured detainees, and the restoration of family visits and basic communication rights.
The ministry also called for holding those responsible accountable through international legal mechanisms, warning that continued international silence effectively enables further abuses.
According to documented data, more than 9,500 Palestinians are currently held in Israeli detention centers, including approximately 350 minors and 133 women, while thousands face the threat of legislation that could allow the imposition of the death penalty.
