Palestinians participate in a demonstration marking Palestinian Prisoners' Day in front of the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza City, on April 16, 2026. Palestinians on Thursday marked Palestinian Prisoners' Day with rallies and demonstrations across the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, calling for the repeal of an Israeli law permitting the execution of Palestinian prisoners. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)
RAMALLAH, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Palestinians on Thursday marked Palestinian Prisoners' Day with rallies and demonstrations across the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, calling for the repeal of an Israeli law permitting the execution of Palestinian prisoners.
The annual commemoration was established in 1974 by the Palestinian National Council during its 12th session in Cairo.
Events were organized by Palestinian institutions and factions, with protests held in city centers and outside offices of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Participants raised Palestinian flags, held photos of detainees, and chanted slogans in solidarity with prisoners.
Abdullah Zaghari, head of the Palestinian Prisoners Club, told Xinhua the occasion comes amid an escalation in Israeli measures against detainees, including alleged torture and medical neglect, as well as the passage of the execution law.
Hazem Qassem, a spokesperson for Hamas, said in a speech that Palestinian prisoners are facing deteriorating conditions, warning of the implications of the execution law and calling for increased public mobilization.
The protests follow the Israeli Knesset's approval in March of a law allowing the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of carrying out attacks that result in Israeli deaths.
According to a joint report by prisoners' rights organizations, the number of Palestinians in Israeli prisons has risen to over 9,600 since the Gaza conflict began on Oct. 7, 2023, up from about 5,250 before the war.
The report said the detainees include 86 women and about 350 minors. It urged greater international involvement, including cooperation with the International Criminal Court and expanded access for the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit detainees. ■
Palestinians participate in a demonstration marking Palestinian Prisoners' Day in front of the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza City, on April 16, 2026. Palestinians on Thursday marked Palestinian Prisoners' Day with rallies and demonstrations across the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, calling for the repeal of an Israeli law permitting the execution of Palestinian prisoners. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)
