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The Supreme Court Rules: Red Cross Visits Must Resume

  • Noa Sattath
  • 1 day ago
  • 3 min read


June 3, 2026


Dear friend,


Breaking news: Israel’s Supreme Court unanimously accepted ACRI’s petition against the ban on Red Cross visits to Palestinian security prisoners. It ruled that in imposing this policy the government contravened Israeli and international law, and therefore the policy must be repealed. The Red Cross must be allowed to visit Palestinian security prisoners. For the first time in nearly three years, the over 9,000 Palestinian security prisoners being held in Israeli prisons and military detention centers will receive Red Cross visits.  


The government made it a point to disregard Israeli and international law during the Gaza War, but the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) under the auspices of the racist and extremist Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, was an ignoble standout. All Red Cross visits to, and information about, Palestinian security prisoners being held in Israeli prisons and by the army were halted after the October 7 massacre and the subsequent outbreak of war. This was highly unusual: it was the first time in over 50 years that Israel prevented Red Cross visits. Additionally, these visits were not reinstated after the ceasefire and the return of the remaining hostages, despite the fact that Hamas’ violation of the ceasefire agreement and keeping the bodies of the remaining hostages was ostensibly one of the reasons that the State argued it could not resume the visits. In the meantime, prisoners were being abused and starved without any external oversight. 


The road to this moment was long, and as we waited we continued to hear disturbing and appalling testimonies about violence against prisoners, starvation, and neglect. ACRI filed the original petition in February 2024, after which the State asked for an unusual 27 extensions before the hearing was finally held on October 29, 2025. In fact, in its decision, the Court emphasized how long the process was and, consequently, the number of opportunities that the State had to present its case. And yet, as Justice Daphne Barak-Erez wrote: “throughout the litigation the petitioners presented a broad legal basis for their arguments, anchored in Israeli and international law. In contrast, in spite of repeated opportunities granted to it to do so, the State avoided basing the policy that it introduced on clear legal frameworks.”


This was not an easy case. ACRI understood very early on in the war that mistreating prisoners and denying Red Cross visits was a violation of basic human rights.  ACRI staff faced no small amount of abuse while advocating for the rights of those suspected of having committed terrible crimes: threats, doxxing, verbal harassment, intimidation. We also faced continued stonewalling by the State, and each request for a postponement necessitated that we maintain ongoing, unyielding pressure on the Court to hear our case and make a decision. But we knew that the law was on our side and morality was on our side, and I am proud of the unwavering commitment ACRI’s staff demonstrated throughout this process.  Every person, regardless of the crimes they have committed, is entitled to basic human rights. This principle underlies the respect for human life and the existence of a just society, and is why we will continue to ensure that this ruling is carried out and enforced, and why we will continue our work to protect human rights for all.  


This is a victory for human rights. Let’s continue our work so that there can be many more. Donate Now.


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