LONDON: The UK has reportedly warned Israel that it will withhold weapons unless the Red Cross is granted access to jailed Hamas militants, The Telegraph reported on Thursday.
Rights groups and Israeli media have highlighted the severe conditions in which Palestinian prisoners are currently held, with at least 10 Palestinians killed in Israeli prisons since October, in addition to the deaths of 24 people in the custody of the Israel Defense Forces.
Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that a British legal team visited Israel earlier in the month to investigate the situation, and claimed that all prisoners in Israel, including Hamas suspects, should be allowed a visit by the International Committee of the Red Cross, in line with the Geneva Convention.
Israel claims an exemption to that law on security grounds.
The UK’s Foreign Secretary David Cameron warned Israeli officials during recent talks that Europe could impose an arms embargo if Israel persists in denying access to members of Hamas being held in prison.
This follows reports in February that the UK was considering withholding arms should Israel attack the city of Rafah in Gaza.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz reportedly sent a letter to Cameron urging the UK to support Israel and not weaken its stance during ongoing negotiations with Hamas for a ceasefire and the release of hostages.
He is said to have told Cameron that there was “no room” for restricting the supply of weapons at such a pivotal moment in the negotiations, The Telegraph reported.
Israel’s National Security Council reportedly held a closed-door meeting on Tuesday to consider a petition from a leading Israeli rights group that demanded Red Cross access to prisoners from Hamas. The council reportedly unanimously decided against allowing such visits.
