GAZA CITY: The Palestinian human rights organization Al-Mezan has marked the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances by accusing Israel of committing widespread enforced disappearances against Palestinians during what it described as a “genocidal war” on Gaza.
In a statement on Saturday, the group claimed Israeli forces have carried out mass arbitrary arrests since October 2023, subjecting thousands of Palestinians to degrading treatment, the Jordan News Agency reported.
It said Israel had refused to disclose the fate of hundreds of detainees or provide details of their whereabouts and conditions of detention.
Al-Mezan described enforced disappearance as a “continuous crime” that strips victims of their humanity and deepens the psychological, social, and health suffering of their families, who are left in anguish not knowing whether their loved ones are alive.
The organization also claimed that Israel had blocked the International Committee of the Red Cross from visiting detainees and restricted human rights groups from monitoring their situation, in violation of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
Calling for an international campaign to highlight the issue, Al-Mezan urged the global community to pressure Israel to disclose the fate of missing Palestinians, halt the war in Gaza, and ensure accountability for what it said were violations of international law.
