Israeli high court demands explanation for starvation of Palestinian prisoners

Israel’s high court has issued an order compelling the far-right Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, the Commissioner of the Prison Service, and the Ministry of Justice to explain within one month why steps are not being taken to ensure that Palestinians held in Israeli prisons are not receiving adequate food to meet basic living standards.

The directive follows a petition highlighting the dire conditions faced by Palestinians, who reportedly suffer from severe malnutrition due to insufficient food supplies. During hearings, it was revealed that the prisoners lack access to even minimal sustenance, resulting in significant weight loss among the detainees.

While the court did not mandate that the food provided to security prisoners must match the quality or quantity given to criminal prisoners, it emphasised the obligation to provide basic living conditions in line with legal standards.