This Friday evening, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called on all relevant Israeli authorities to protect the rights of Palestinian prisoners, and to respect the relevant obligations of international humanitarian law.

The committee said in a statement: "Under international humanitarian law, Palestinian detainees are protected persons and have the right to communicate with their families."

The ICRC has been facilitating visits by families of Palestinian detainees to Israeli places of detention since 1968, saying: "In the first six months alone of the year 2023, more than 29,000 families of detainees were able to visit their families in prisons."

The Committee viewed this as a much needed lifeline for both detainees and their family members, fulfilling a basic and universal human need.

The Committee affirmed that it stands ready to continue to support the families by facilitating these visits, and maintains, according to its mandate, an unannounced bilateral dialogue with the relevant authorities on issues of concern.