ICRC warns of shrinking access to war zones as Palestinian detainees remain out of reach

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reports that it has not had access to Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons since the October 7 attacks three years ago. President Mirjana Spoljaric Egger stated this during the UN General Assembly high-level debate in New York. She explained that the lack of access is part of a global issue, with increasing obstacles to reaching conflict zones and prisoners, due to factors like the use of new technology, a lax approach to civilian protection, a permissive interpretation of humanitarian law, and a willingness to seek total victory in wars.

She highlighted that conflicts are increasingly targeting civilian infrastructure, making safety harder to guarantee with the use of drones. In Israel, despite a June ruling by Israel's Supreme Court overturning a ban on ICRC visits to Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails, access remains limited. The ICRC president emphasized the urgency of regaining access to prisoners, stressing it as a matter of utmost importance.

Egger warned that the growing number of conflicts worldwide is putting significant pressure on aid organizations, with shrinking funding and cuts in services. She described the humanitarian impact in areas reliant on such assistance as catastrophic, with the ICRC unable to deliver the necessary materials for recovery in Gaza due to Israel's ban on dual-use goods.

In Yemen, the Houthi rebels' recent escalation has left the population with no resilience to cope. For Sudan, the ICRC faces bureaucratic hurdles in delivering aid due to permit issues, bureaucracy, and a fight for legitimacy. In Iran, drone attacks have created a sense of insecurity, with people reluctant to send their children to school or go to work.

The ICRC launched an initiative in 2021, involving six countries, to strengthen respect for international humanitarian law. Since then, 118 countries have joined, and 27 countries are set to meet in Jordan to reaffirm their commitment to the law and avoid the negative consequences of conflict.