’Israel’ Tightens Restrictions on Lawyers Visiting Palestinian Prisoners

 By Staff, Agencies

Two Palestinian prisoner advocacy groups said "Israel" has further restricted lawyers’ access to Palestinian detainees, barring them from conveying any greetings or messages from families during prison visits or court sessions.

In a joint statement on Monday, the Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs Commission and the Palestinian Prisoners Society said the move deepens the isolation of inmates, noting that "Israel" has blocked visits from the International Committee of the Red Cross and suspended all family visits since its war on Gaza began.

Lawyers now face punitive measures for relaying messages and continue to face “severe obstacles,” including abrupt visit cancellations, long delays in approvals, and repeated bans on specific attorneys.

Some detainees have been assaulted or threatened before or after meeting their legal representatives, the groups added.

The organizations also accused "Israel" of “enforced disappearance” of Gaza detainees by denying them legal access.

By early July, about 10,800 Palestinians — including 49 women and 450 children — were being held in "Israeli" jails, the highest number since the Second Intifada.

Rights groups say conditions are dire, with widespread torture, harassment, and chronic illness among inmates, in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.