New evidence submitted to ICC on Palestinian captives

A team of lawyers representing Palestinian victims in cases involving war crimes and crimes against humanity submitted new information and evidence to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on Friday in support of the investigation into Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in  Zionist regime's prisons.

According to Al Jazeera correspondent Abdullah al-Shami in The Hague, the legal team submitted documentation of serious violations of international humanitarian law as part of efforts to secure accountability for abuses against Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

Al-Shami said the team’s visit to the ICC included a meeting with the new prosecutor and members of the prosecutor’s team, who are continuing the investigation into the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory. He added that the lawyers came away from the meeting with the impression that the court intends to continue the Palestine investigation initiated under former prosecutor Karim Khan.

The legal team also submitted documented evidence and testimonies extending beyond the families of prisoners and detainees to include relatives of Palestinians martyred during  Zionist regime's war on the Gaza Strip.

The material includes testimony from relatives of victims whose bodies were recovered and buried in Gaza in recent weeks, as well as statements collected on the ground by the legal team from relatives of victims and detainees.

The legal initiative is supported by European organizations that have agreed to be represented as part of the legal team, alongside Palestinian institutions working on prisoners’ rights and human rights.

The move comes as part of ongoing international legal proceedings concerning Palestine. On November 21, 2024, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for  Zionist regime's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Testimonies from released Palestinian prisoners

The submission of new evidence coincided with fresh testimonies from Palestinians released from  Zionist regime's prisons, who described harsh detention conditions and a deterioration in the treatment of prisoners.

Israeli forces released Luay Arar, from Qarawat Bani Zeid northwest of Ramallah, last Sunday after two years in administrative detention based on a secret file and without charge or trial. Arar said the conditions he experienced during this period were harsher than those he endured during a previous ten years in Israeli prisons.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Arar summarized the conditions facing Palestinian prisoners in a few words: “There is no food and no medical treatment.”

He recalled an incident in which a fellow prisoner became seriously ill, began vomiting blood and called for help. When prisoners knocked on the cell door seeking medical assistance, Arar said prison authorities responded: “Call us when he dies,” and, “I’ll bring the doctor when he dies.”

Around 9,500 Palestinians are currently held in  Zionist regime's prisons, including 94 women and more than 350 children, according to Palestinian human rights reports.

Since taking office in late 2022,  Zionist regime's Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has introduced measures tightening conditions for Palestinian prisoners, including restrictions on living conditions and services. Human rights organizations have accused Israeli authorities of pursuing policies involving starvation, medical neglect, isolation and torture.