Israel has forbidden the Red Cross from visiting Palestinian detainees since 7 October 2023.

Omissions

• The MEP made the claim on 2026-05-18. Shortly afterwards, on 3-4 June 2026, the Israeli Supreme Court unanimously annulled the government ban, ordering that ICRC visits be allowed — but this ruling postdates the speech and could not have been known by the MEP at the time.
• The ICRC itself uses the more measured phrasing 'has not been able to visit' rather than the more active verb 'forbidden', though Israeli court proceedings and news reporting confirm the cause was a government policy of denial.

Sources

• PrimaryICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross)Since 7 October 2023, the ICRC has not been able to visit any Palestinian detainees in Israeli places of detention. The ICRC has repeatedly requested access and continues to engage with the Israeli authorities to resume visits.
• PrimaryICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross)The ICRC has not been able to visit any Palestinian detainees held in Israeli places of detention since 7 October 2023. We have been actively engaging with the Israeli authorities to resume our visits.
• SecondaryThe New York TimesIsrael forbade the visits, which allow the Red Cross to monitor prisoners' conditions, in 2023.
• SecondaryTimes of IsraelThe High Court unanimously annulled the government's blanket ban on Red Cross visits for Palestinian security prisoners, ruling that the state failed to present a legal foundation for its blanket policy of denying the Red Cross visiting rights.