Israel must allow ICRC to visit Palestinians in prison, Supreme Court rules | Israel-Palestine conflict News
Israel’s Supreme Court Approves Red Cross Access to Palestinian Detainees
Published on June 4, 2026
Israel’s Supreme Court has unanimously overturned a government policy that barred representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) from visiting Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons.
The ruling, issued on Wednesday, concluded that the government’s restrictions violated both Israeli and international law, necessitating the repeal of the ban. The court underscored that the government failed to provide a legal basis for the policy, which was enacted following a Hamas-led attack in October 2023 that resulted in over 1,100 deaths and 240 abductions.
This assault escalated into a significant conflict in Gaza, which has been labeled a genocide by several experts, including an independent United Nations inquiry. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israeli military actions resulted in more than 72,950 deaths, resulting in widespread destruction and the displacement of nearly 1.9 million Palestinians.
In the wake of the conflict, access to prisoners was suspended, and information about detainees became limited. Previously, updates on these individuals were standard; however, Israeli officials accused Hamas of failing to facilitate access to captives in Gaza during this period. This represented the first instance in 50 years in which Israel denied the ICRC visitation rights, according to the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), which initiated the legal challenge.
“This signifies the first opportunity in nearly three years for the over 9,000 Palestinian security prisoners held in Israeli facilities to receive visits from the Red Cross,” ACRI stated. The ban remained in effect even following a ceasefire agreement in October.
The initial petition against the government policy was filed in February 2024 by ACRI, Physicians for Human Rights, the rights group HaMoked, and the NGO Gisha. The Israeli government requested 27 extensions before the court hearing took place at the end of October 2025.
The ICRC expressed its appreciation for the court’s decision, stating it is prepared to resume visits. “We are continuing our dialogue with the Israeli authorities to resume our work in detention as soon as possible,” the organization commented, emphasizing that access to detainees and private meetings are requirements under international law.
The ruling arrives amid increasing apprehension regarding the treatment of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons. Recently, the United Nations released its annual report on conflict-related sexual violence, highlighting instances of torture, rape, and other abuses allegedly perpetrated by Israeli security forces during detention and interrogation, particularly at the Sde Teiman military camp and other facilities.
