Israeli detainees’ families have petitioned the High Court, urging intervention to ensure a government deal for the release of hostages held in Gaza.
Former Israeli detainees and relatives of detainees currently held in Gaza have petitioned the High Court to intervene in a deal to release them, according to Israeli media.
The Jerusalem Post cited a report by the Israeli Channel 13 on Tuesday stating that the petition, “asks for an urgent interlocutory injunction that would force the government to decide on the conditions” for a deal.
Signed by 112 individuals, the request stated that the petition is a “request to help realize the government’s obligation to work to free them.”
‘Last Recourse’
Gil Dickmann, a relative of a detainee who died in captivity told The Jerusalem Post that the High Court was being petitioned “because it is the last recourse left to us after being silenced in the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) and ignored by the government.”
Israeli settlers continue to protest Netanyahu’s government over its failure to secure the return of Israeli captives, filing a lawsuit against the government in response.#GazaStrip#Palestine https://t.co/eVSmPW8jCj
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) January 8, 2025
Another plaintiff, Rana Guma, said in a radio interview cited by Al Mayadeen that “for 15 months, the state has neglected its responsibility toward us, which is a clear violation of fundamental laws.”
Goma explained that turning to the court is not a last resort, but rather an additional effort to pressure the government into adopting “a policy that upholds the rights of the abductees and fulfills its legal obligations toward them,” Al Mayadeen reported.
‘Judicial Oversight’
Professor Barak Medina, one of the lawyers involved in the case, said human rights laws were designed to protect the detainees, according to The Jerusalem Post.
The paper quoted him as saying that “the government is not permitted to consider only the interest of security and ignore the necessity of rescuing the hostages.”
He added that “Judicial oversight is needed to ensure that the government gives appropriate weight to the fate of the hostages.”
The petition also asked the court to ask Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the government to address “why should it not be determined that the refusal of the Israeli government to agree to a deal for the release of the hostages … unlawfully violates the constitutional rights of the hostages to life, bodily integrity, and human dignity?” the Post added.
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The court was also requested to address why it should “not be determined that Israel’s government must decide without delay on conditions for a deal to release the hostages.”
A date has also been requested to discuss the petition, said the paper.
Dozens of detainees’ families gathered outside the home of Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Tel Aviv, Al Mayadeen reported, urging him to exert pressure on the Netanyahu government to finalize the exchange deal.
The Israeli Prisoners’ Families Authority accused Netanyahu of being indifferent to their fate, stressing that “he does not want the war to end, and is running a campaign to continue it,” the report added.
Talks Resume in Doha
Talks to reach a ceasefire deal resumed in the Qatari capital this week with Hamas saying it had shown flexibility during the negotiations, driven by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people.
In an interview with the Al Mayadeen news network, Ahmad Abd al-Hadi, Hamas’s representative in Lebanon, said that the proposed agreement for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange is a comprehensive deal aimed at fully ending the conflict and ensuring the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
‘Deal Aims for Full Ceasefire and Israeli Withdrawal from Gaza’ – Hamas Official
Abd al-Hadi emphasized that Hamas insisted on clear terms for the cessation of hostilities, the complete Israeli pullback from Gaza, and the return of displaced Palestinians.
Regarding the administration of Gaza following the agreement, Abd al-Hadi clarified that a Palestinian civilian body, agreed upon by Gaza’s residents, would be responsible for overseeing the governance of the Strip, managing border crossings, and handling relief, reconstruction, and resettlement efforts.
“The ball is now in Netanyahu’s court,” Abd al-Hadi remarked, explaining that all terms had been agreed upon and that it is now up to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to either approve or obstruct the deal.
Ongoing Genocide
The ongoing Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip, which began on October 7, 2023, has led to a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented scale. As the death toll among besieged and starved Palestinian civilians continues to rise daily, Israel is currently facing charges of genocide against Palestinians before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
An Israeli drone strike killed 3 Palestinians, including 2 children, in Tamoun, northern West Bank.
In Gaza, Nasser Hospital halted most services due to a fuel crisis.
In the last 24 hours, Israeli forces committed 6 massacres in Gaza, killing 51 and wounding 78.#Palestine… pic.twitter.com/b3EPhJnXbk
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) January 8, 2025
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, at least 45,854 Palestinians have been killed, and 109,139 wounded in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza starting on October 7, 2023. The toll is expected to rise further, with at least 11,000 people still unaccounted for, presumed dead under the rubble of their homes across Gaza.
The war, which Palestinians call “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood,” began after a military operation carried out by Hamas on Israeli territory. Israel reports that 1,139 of its soldiers and civilians were killed during the initial attack on October 7. However, Israeli media have raised concerns that a significant number of Israeli casualties were caused by ‘friendly fire’ during the assault.
Humanitarian Catastrophe
Human rights organizations, both Palestinian and international, have reported that the overwhelming majority of the casualties in Gaza are women and children. The ongoing violence has also exacerbated an acute famine, with thousands of children among the dead, highlighting the severity of the humanitarian disaster.
The war has displaced nearly two million people from their homes across Gaza, with the majority of the displaced forced into the already overcrowded southern region of the Strip. The population in Gaza remains trapped in the ongoing conflict, with little access to basic necessities such as food, water, and medical care.
(PC, Al Mayadeen)
