Israel’s Supreme Court issued a ruling on Sunday stating that the government’s provision of food to Palestinian security prisoners for basic sustenance has been inadequate. The court ordered authorities to enhance the prisoners’ nutrition, marking a rare instance of the highest court challenging the government’s actions during the ongoing conflict spanning nearly two years.
Since the commencement of the conflict, Israel has detained numerous individuals in Gaza suspected of Hamas affiliations. Many have been released without charges after prolonged periods of incarceration. Human rights organizations have extensively documented mistreatment in prisons and detention centers, citing issues such as insufficient food, healthcare, unsanitary conditions, and physical violence.
In a petition filed last year by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) and the Israeli rights group Gisha, it was alleged that a policy change regarding food provision after the Gaza conflict has led to malnutrition and starvation among prisoners. The court’s decision came in response to this petition.
Last year, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir proclaimed that he had reduced the conditions of security prisoners to the minimum mandated by Israeli law. However, the panel of three justices in Sunday’s ruling emphasized the state’s legal obligation to ensure prisoners receive adequate food to meet “a basic level of existence.”
The justices, in a 2-1 ruling, expressed concerns that the current food supply to prisoners does not meet legal standards, raising doubts about the adequacy of their nutrition. They instructed the prison service to take necessary measures to guarantee that the food provided allows for basic subsistence conditions in compliance with the law.
In response to the court’s decision, Ben-Gvir criticized the ruling, asserting that Israeli hostages in Gaza lack support while the Supreme Court defends Hamas militants. He affirmed the continuation of the policy to provide prisoners with the minimal conditions required by law.
ACRI urged immediate implementation of the verdict, condemning the prison service for transforming Israeli prisons into what they described as “torture camps.” They emphasized that a state and its people should not subject individuals to starvation, regardless of their actions.