Amnesty International has urged for the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas and Palestinians detained by Israel, regardless of the progress in ongoing ceasefire negotiations. The human rights group emphasized that the fate of hostages and detainees should not be tied to the results of the next phase of talks between Hamas and Israel.
There are currently at least 59 hostages remaining in Gaza, the majority of whom are Israelis, while over 4,000 Palestinians are detained in Israel without trial, which Amnesty argues violates international law. Amnesty’s call is a direct challenge to Israel’s use of its Unlawful Combatants Law, which permits the detention of individuals, including Gazans, without charges or trial based on national security concerns.
According to Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, no one should be subject to arbitrary detention, and any criminally charged individual must be brought to trial within a reasonable period. Amnesty’s statement also condemned the killing of six hostages in August 2024 by Hamas, who were shot at close range before being retrieved, as confirmed by an Israeli forensic investigation. Additionally, the public display of hostages by Hamas prior to their release was labeled as a violation of international law, specifically Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions, which prohibits humiliating or degrading treatment in non-international conflicts.
Amnesty’s position comes as Egyptian officials confirmed last week that Israel and Hamas have resumed ceasefire negotiations aimed at a permanent end to the conflict, including the return of all hostages. The third phase of these talks would address the return of deceased hostages.
Amnesty’s call for justice underscores the urgency of the humanitarian crisis and the need for a resolution that respects human dignity and international legal standards.
