Ambassador Tamer Almassri
By Staff Reporter
The Ambassador of Palestine to Zimbabwe has accused Israeli authorities of systematically using enforced disappearance against thousands of Palestinians detained from the Gaza Strip during the war, saying the fate and whereabouts of many remained unknown.
Ambassador Tamer Almassri made the accusations in a statement marking the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, saying Israeli authorities had withheld information about detainees, including their names, locations and medical conditions.
He said denying detainees access to their families, lawyers and human rights organisations amounted to more than isolated violations, describing the practices as part of a policy that left detainees without legal protection.
Almassri said the lack of oversight increased the risk of torture, ill-treatment and medical neglect.
Under international law, enforced disappearance is prohibited in all circumstances, including during armed conflict or a state of emergency. The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance defines the practice as the deprivation of a person’s liberty followed by a refusal to acknowledge the detention or concealment of the person’s fate or whereabouts.
“The fate of detainees must be established and enforced disappearance must end,” Almassri said, describing the issue as a test of the international community’s commitment to international law.
The Palestinian statement also cited the continuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, saying 73,454 Palestinians had been killed and 174,486 injured since October 2023. It said more than 12,000 people remained trapped beneath rubble or along roads, while ambulance and rescue teams were unable to reach them because of continued Israeli bombardment despite a ceasefire.
The figures cited by the Palestinian side could not be independently verified.
Almassri also accused Israeli politicians of using military escalation and Palestinian deaths to advance domestic electoral interests, saying political calculations should not come at the expense of civilian lives.
Israel has repeatedly said its military campaign is aimed at Hamas and other armed groups and that it seeks to protect Israeli civilians while complying with international law.
