In brief
In a ruling by Israel's Supreme Court, the state was found to be neglecting the nutritional needs of Palestinian prisoners. The court emphasized the legal obligation to ensure adequate food for these inmates, many of whom are held for prolonged periods. The decision comes against the backdrop of increasing pressure on the Israeli government regarding prison conditions and the broader humanitarian implications of the ongoing conflict.
Israel's Supreme Court has ruled that the state is failing to provide adequate food to Palestinian prisoners, and must take steps to improve their nutrition.
The three-judge bench said on Sunday that the state was legally obligated to provide prisoners with enough nutrition to ensure 'a basic level of existence'.
Thousands of Palestinians have been held in Israeli jails for years, including over terror charges - and thousands more have been detained since the war began in October 2023.
Talks for a ceasefire have stalled but on Sunday night US President Donald Trump issued a 'last warning' to Hamas, urging them to accept a deal to release Israeli hostages from Gaza.
On a post on Truth Social, he said that Israel had accepted his terms, and it was 'time for Hamas to accept them as well'.
The president wrote that 'this is my last warning, there will not be another one!'
Hamas responded in a statement and said it was ready to 'immediately sit at the negotiating table' following 'some ideas from the American side aimed at reaching a ceasefire agreement'.
Trump also told reporters that there would be 'a deal on Gaza very soon' and he thought that all the hostages would be returned, dead or alive.
Of the 48 hostages still being held in Gaza, as many as 20 are believed to be alive.
Israel has yet to formally respond to a deal that would see the release of some hostages, but has previously demanded the return of all the hostages in any agreement.
Pressure has been growing on Netanyahu in Israel, where thousands took to the streets on Saturday to demand an end to the war in Gaza and urge the prime minister to agree to a deal to free the remaining hostages.
Despite international calls for Israel to halt its offensive in Gaza, Netanyahu has stated that the IDF will intensify operations in and around Gaza City. Reports from health officials in Gaza have indicated that at least 87 people were killed over the preceding 24 hours.
Israel has also refused to grant the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) access to Palestinian detainees since the Hamas attack on October 7, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities. The massive retaliation campaign initiated by Israel has resulted in the deaths of at least 64,368 Palestinians, according to figures from the Hamas-run health ministry, which are disputed by Israel.
Human rights advocates have long criticized prison conditions and have brought petitions alleging that changes in food policies have led to malnutrition and starvation among prisoners. Following the verdict, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) called for immediate implementation of the court's ruling.
The situation remains dire in Gaza, as the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) has continued airstrikes, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. A recent air raid destroyed a high-rise building in Gaza City, a claim denied by Palestinian officials who have condemned the assault.
