Palestinian envoy urges Red Cross to restore detainee access
The envoy and the Red Cross president also discussed humanitarian work in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and agreed to continue coordination.
Palestine's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador Ibrahim Khraishi, met the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, on Monday to discuss the humanitarian situation in the occupied Palestinian Territory, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.
The two officials focused on Palestinian detainees held in Israeli jails, including Israel's continued denial of ICRC access to detainees and visits.
Khraishi pointed to what he described as escalating repressive policies against detainees, including deprivation of food, medicine and basic necessities, as well as ill-treatment, torture, sexual violence and the spread of scabies.
He referred to testimonies from detainees who said they had been subjected to torture and sexual violence, and stressed the need to follow up on the issue.
Khraishi called for the release of detainees, the restoration of ICRC visits so the committee can assess detention conditions and humanitarian needs, and accountability for those responsible for war crimes.
The discussion also covered obstacles to humanitarian work in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which Khraishi attributed to the occupation, amid the ongoing war.
Spoljaric said the issue of Palestinian detainees remains a high priority for the ICRC, and noted that daily contacts are under way to restore access and resume visits.
The two sides agreed to continue follow-up and coordination on detainees, civilian protection, and humanitarian and medical needs, the agency said.
The ICRC is a Geneva-based humanitarian organization that works under the Geneva Conventions, which give it a role in visiting detainees held during armed conflicts.