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Middle East

Red Cross to Israel: Allow visits to Palestinians on strike

Associated Press
Published | Updated
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    President Donald Trump, accompanied by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, speaks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, May 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) (The Associated Press)

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    Protesters carry pictures of jailed Palestinian prisoners during a rally supporting prisoners in Israeli jails, who have been on an open-ended hunger strike for the past 17 days, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Wednesday, May 3, 2017. The prisoners launched the protest to press for better conditions, including family visits. The International Committee of the Red Cross issued a rare statement, urging Israeli authorities to stop what it called the "systematic suspension" of family visits for the hunger strikers. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser) (The Associated Press)

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    Protesters wave banners with a picture of jailed Palestinian uprising leader Marwan Barghouti, during a rally supporting hunger striking Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, who have been on an open-ended hunger strike for the past 17 days, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Wednesday, May 3, 2017. The prisoners launched the protest to press for better conditions, including family visits. Arabic reads, "the uprising engineer and the symbol of national unity." (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser) (The Associated Press)

JERUSALEM – The International Committee of the Red Cross has urged Israel not to restrict family visits for hundreds of hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

In a rare statement, the humanitarian organization criticized what it called a "systemic suspension" of visits by Israeli authorities as a punishment of the striking prisoners, in violation of international law.

ICRC says that "families are paying the price for this situation."

The strike reached its 17th day on Wednesday. The prisoners seek better conditions, including more family visits.

Israel Prison Service spokesman Assaf Librati says about 850 prisoners are still taking part in the strike. He denied claims Israel is violating international law, but didn't elaborate.

In the West Bank town of Ramallah, thousands of Palestinians are attending a solidarity rally for the prisoners.