Israeli occupation prepares to pass death penalty law by banning ICRC’s visits to Palestinian prisoners

QUDS, Oct. 29 (YPA) – Israeli occupation’s Defense Minister Yisrael Katz declared on Wednesday a ban on visits by representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, citing a law that classifies them as “unlawful combatants”.

This move has been described as an unprecedented escalation against Palestinian prisoners and their families.

In an official statement, Katz said that the ICRC’s visits could seriously harm state security, adding that the “Israeli army” had been instructed to act decisively against any Hamas target.

Katz’s decision came amid growing calls within the occupation’s government to pass a law imposing the death penalty on Palestinian prisoners.

The Knesset is expected to vote on the bill next week, after it was reintroduced by the extremist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who threatened to withdraw his support for the government legislation if it was not adopted.

The office of the head of the ruling coalition, Ofir Katz, stated that the Knesset would discuss the bill in its upcoming sessions in preparation for a formal vote, amidst sharp political divisions within Netanyahu’s government and the Knesset regarding its potential repercussions.

For over two years, the occupation forces have been preventing family and lawyer visits for Palestinian prisoners and imposing inhumane punishments on them, including deprivation of basic necessities, systematic torture, and prolonged solitary confinement, all in the absence of any effective international oversight following the restrictions imposed on the ICRC.

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