Families of Palestinian prisoners in the Gaza Strip staged on Monday a protest condemning the negative position of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) toward the Israeli crimes against Palestinian prisoners.
An ex-prisoner and father of the Palestinian prisoners Rami and Raji Abed Rabbo told the PIC reporter that the ICRC’s silence and failure to shoulder its humanitarian duty toward the prisoners is a clear indication of its bias to the Israeli occupation.
Abed Rabbo added that this bias was blatantly evident during the Israeli raids on Nafha prison “where a number of ICRC commissioners were present and witnessed the practices of the Israeli prison authorities with their own eyes without lifting a finger.”
He called on the Palestinian people to unite to back the prisoners’ cause and end their worsening suffering and asked the international human rights organizations to assume their responsibilities against the Israeli arrogance practiced against Palestinian prisoners.
The ex-prisoner pointed to the role the Palestinian armed wings should play in the issue especially al-Qassam Brigades which he urged not to give Israel any free information about its captured soldiers.
The protesters raised slogans calling on the international community and its institutions to intervene and asking the Palestinian factions to intensify their efforts to curb the ongoing Israeli practices against prisoners in the Israeli jails.
Ahmad Farajallah spokesman of Mohjat al-Quds Foundation said that the ICRC is turning its back to the families of prisoners noting that limiting its activities to visiting prisoners only is not accepted.
Farajallah asked the ICRC to treat the families of prisoners and those in solidarity with them well and respond to their demands instead of closing its doors in their faces.
He also called on the ICRC not to violate the agreements signed with the Prisoners Committee which mainly provide for supporting Palestinian prisoners and their families.
He pointed out that a series of events in support of prisoners are scheduled to be held all around the Gaza Strip.
Father of prisoner Majdi Ewaida said that the Israeli prison service (IPS) was pursing various kinds of punishments and persecution against prisoners in Negev and Nafha.
The IPS has been waging a hysterical campaign against Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails since the beginning of 2017 especially those affiliated with Hamas Movement apparently because the Movement is holding a number of Israeli soldiers captives.
