Amnesty urges Israel to allow Red Cross to visit Palestinian detainees amid reports of torture, rape in prisons

Amnesty International on Wednesday urged Israel to allow Red Cross to visit Palestinian detainees amid reports of widespread torture and rape in the Israeli prisons.

In reference to the reports by the UN experts and the rights group B'Tselem on the widespread abuse, torture, sexual assault, and inhuman treatment of around 9,500 Palestinians, including hundreds of children, held in Israeli custody, the Amnesty said on X: "Since 7 October 2023, Israel's arbitrary arrests and horrifying cases of torture against all Palestinians continue to spike, along with the use of administrative detention of Palestinians across the occupied West Bank."

Against this backdrop, it urged Israel to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross to conduct urgent visits to prisons and detention facilities and to monitor the conditions of Palestinian detainees.

"All Palestinians arbitrarily detained must be immediately released," it added.

In recent months, numerous reports have emerged regarding the mass abuse of Palestinian prisoners at the Sde Teiman prison in the Negev desert, southern Israel. Israeli authorities often claim to investigate the incidents, but tangible results are rarely seen.

Israel has killed nearly 40,000 Palestinians in Gaza since Oct. 7, and is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice for its military campaign.