Red Ribbons event in London highlights escalating crisis facing Palestinian hostages

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Red Ribbons event in London on 19 June 2026

LONDON – Emotional testimonies, legal arguments, and political interventions marked a high-profile solidarity event held at SOAS University of London on Friday evening, as speakers warned that the situation of Palestinian hostages held in Israeli detention has reached what they described as “unprecedented levels of brutality” amid the ongoing war on Gaza.

The event, organised by the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) in partnership with the Red Ribbons Campaign, brought together campaign coordinator Adnan Hmidan, ICJP director Tayb Ali, lawyer Khaled Mahajneh, Palestinian activist Saif Abu Keshek, campaigner Katrina Graham, and Independent MP Jeremy Corbyn. The discussion was chaired by journalist and activist Matilda Mallinson.

Speakers repeatedly argued that while global attention remains focused on Gaza, conditions inside Israeli prisons and detention facilities have deteriorated sharply since October 2023, with thousands of Palestinian hostages held outside the reach of international monitors.

Opening the event, Red Ribbons Campaign coordinator Adnan Hmidan said the initiative was created to ensure that Palestinian hostages “are not erased from international consciousness”.

READ: NHS doctor challenges use of IHRA definition in High Court after suspension over political speech

He stressed that those held in Israeli detention include journalists, doctors, students, women and children, many of whom are detained without charge under administrative detention orders.

Palestinian lawyer Khaled Mahajneh delivered one of the most emotionally charged interventions of the evening, describing what he called a “parallel war” being waged inside Israeli prisons alongside the military assault on Gaza.

Mahajneh said conditions for Palestinian hostages have deteriorated significantly, citing widespread reports of starvation, medical neglect, prolonged isolation and systematic humiliation.

Mathilda Mallinson at the Red Ribbons event in London on 19 June 2026
Jeremy Corbyn at the Red Ribbons event in London on 19 June 2026
Dr Mustafa Barghouti at the Red Ribbons event in London on 19 June 2026

He also described a recent visit to imprisoned Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, noting that Barghouti appeared deeply concerned with the condition of other detainees despite his own long-term isolation. Mahajneh said the repeated message he hears from inside detention facilities is simple: “Save us.”

Dr Mustafa Barghouti argued that new Israeli legislative measures should be understood within what he described as a wider apartheid system. He said the laws establish separate legal frameworks for Palestinians and Israeli Jews living under the same authority, entrenching structural discrimination.

Barghouti warned that the proposals reflect an escalating political culture of revenge following 7 October, and what he described as a widening acceptance of extreme policies within Israeli political discourse.

ICJP director and lawyer Tayb Ali focused on the legal implications of the proposed legislation, describing it as a “structural departure from fundamental principles of justice”.

He said the laws appear designed to target Palestinians as a collective category, removing judicial discretion through mandatory sentencing provisions in certain cases.

Ali criticised the reliance on military courts, noting their high conviction rates and the admissibility of evidence that would not meet standards in ordinary criminal justice systems.

He warned that accelerated procedures risk undermining the right to appeal and meaningful judicial review, effectively eroding basic due process protections.

READ: Rights groups condemn court-backed ban on Palestine Action

Palestinian activist Saif Abu Keshek said Israel is not only targeting Palestinians but also attempting to criminalise solidarity movements internationally. He argued that authorities seek to fragment the Palestinian cause into separate issues—prisoners, Gaza, refugees, and settlements—thereby obscuring its historical and political roots.

Campaigner Katrina Graham recounted her experience aboard the Sumud flotilla attempting to challenge the blockade on Gaza, including her detention by Israeli authorities. She referenced encounters with Israeli officials and described mistreatment during her detention, while emphasising that her experience was minor compared with the daily reality faced by Palestinian hostages.

Independent MP Jeremy Corbyn also took part in the event, expressing solidarity with Palestinian hostages and calling for greater international scrutiny of their conditions.

His participation reflected growing concern among sections of British political and civil society over reports of abuses in Israeli detention facilities and the continued denial of basic rights to detainees.

Speakers throughout the evening stressed that while global attention remains focused on Gaza, the situation of Palestinian hostages inside Israeli prisons continues largely out of sight.

They urged international institutions, governments and civil society organisations to take urgent action to address what they described as a deepening humanitarian and legal crisis.

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Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Strait of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don't need people to join wars after they've already won. He's challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Strait of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.

Continue ReadingRed Ribbons event in London highlights escalating crisis facing Palestinian hostages

Nobody wants to live next to a war criminal

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https://www.declassifieduk.org/nobody-wants-to-live-next-to-a-war-criminal/

You can join the campaign by signing the open letter linked to below

Declassified and the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) launch a major campaign to demand the end of impunity for British nationals who fought for Israel in Gaza.

Earlier this year, Declassified revealed that over 2,000 Britons served for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) since October 2023. 

This information would never have come to light using sources in Britain.

The UK government does not collect data on British nationals serving in the IDF, and soldiers returning from Israel have not been questioned about their activities in the region. 

Instead, the information came from a Freedom of Information request issued to the IDF by a lawyer in Israel.

The UK government’s failure to collect data on the movements of potential war criminals or properly investigate their activities raises serious concerns.

Individuals who have returned from committing war crimes in Gaza may now be living alongside us and working in public institutions such as hospitals, the police, and schools.

Nobody wants to live next to a war criminal – not least members of the Palestinian community in the UK who have family or friends who have been subjected to war crimes.

Major campaign

In the interests of transparency, public safety, and justice, Declassified and the ICJP are launching a major campaign to demand that the UK government:

  • Track the movements of Brits who have served in the IDF
  • Subject them to secondary screening where necessary at ports of entry
  • Support robust war crimes investigations in line with domestic and international law

We are now opening the letter up to the public, and need as many signatures as possible. You can sign the letter here.

https://www.declassifieduk.org/nobody-wants-to-live-next-to-a-war-criminal/

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Continue ReadingNobody wants to live next to a war criminal

Palestinian justice group seeks UK prosecution of British-Israeli citizen for serving in IDF

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This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Israeli soldiers are deployed at Erez border with heavy weapons and military vehicles in Erez, Israel on February 29, 2024. [Mostafa Alkharouf – Anadolu Agency]

The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) has formally applied for a court summons to prosecute a dual British-Israeli national for allegedly breaching UK law by voluntarily serving in the Israeli military. If successful, the case could set a legal precedent for accountability under Britain’s rarely used Foreign Enlistment Act of 1870.

The individual is accused of serving first on the Lebanese border and then in the illegally occupied West Bank as a member of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). ICJP alleges that the engagement constitutes an offence under Section 4 of the Foreign Enlistment Act (FEA), which prohibits British subjects from enlisting in the military of a foreign state that is at war with a state friendly to the UK.

In a statement released yesterday, the ICJP confirmed that its application for a court summons was submitted on 20 October. The preliminary hearing is expected to take place in the coming weeks. 

“This is a significant step in holding suspected war criminals accountable within domestic jurisdictions for offences that they have committed outside of their home countries,” said Mutahir Ahmed, ICJP’s Head of Legal. “War criminals must be held accountable for their role in the genocide, from the most senior generals to the most junior foot soldier.”

WATCH: MEMO Interviews: Will Brits fighting for Israel be charged with war crimes?

The individual named in the filing, who remains unnamed for legal reasons, is not believed to have been conscripted. Israeli law does not compel dual nationals residing abroad to enlist, which ICJP argues makes the engagement a voluntary act  and therefore subject to prosecution under UK law.

The legal submission, drafted by senior King’s Counsel, includes both expert testimony and supporting evidence of alleged FEA violations. ICJP says this is the first in a series of prosecutions it is pursuing as part of its broader Global 195 campaign, a reference to the number of UN-recognised states whose nationals may be subject to domestic accountability for war crimes committed abroad.

Palestine has been a State Party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court since April 2015. Its statehood was reaffirmed by a 2021 ICC ruling and more recently recognised by the UK government. As Palestine is considered a “friendly state” under the terms of the Foreign Enlistment Act, ICJP argues that British citizens who engage in hostilities against it through service in the IDF are in breach of UK law.

The organisation says it has gathered evidence on more than 10 British citizens — including dual nationals — who may have either fought in the IDF or provided material support to its military activities. The current application marks what ICJP calls a first test case, with further prosecutions anticipated.

READ: UN rights chief urges swift compliance with new ICJ Gaza ruling

Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Experiencing issues with this image not appearing. I suspect because it's so critical of Zionist Keir Starmer's support of and complicity in Israel's genocides.
Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpA
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.

Continue ReadingPalestinian justice group seeks UK prosecution of British-Israeli citizen for serving in IDF