New Red Ribbons Campaign with Sumud Global for Palestinian Hostages in Israeli Prisons Ahead of the UN General Assembly

The Red Ribbons Campaign, in cooperation with Sumud Global, has launched an online campaign calling on the permanent missions of UN member states to raise the issue of Palestinian prisoners and hostages held in Israeli prisons, coinciding with the UN General Assembly in New York.

In an Instagram post, the campaign says participants can, through a single email, contact the permanent missions of UN member states before and during the General Debate of the General Assembly.

The campaign has set September 29 as the deadline for sending the letters through its website, which directs participants to a dedicated page operated by Sumud Global.

One Letter to UN Member States’ Permanent Missions

The letter asks permanent missions to raise the issue of Palestinian prisoners and hostages during their countries’ statements before the General Assembly, as well as during bilateral meetings held by their leaders in New York, and to advocate for the release of all Palestinian hostages.

It also calls for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to be granted full access to the hostages and all detention facilities under Israeli occupation, in accordance with the standards set out in the Geneva Conventions.

The third demand is an end to what the campaign describes as “discriminatory execution frameworks”, referring to Israeli legislation that expands the application of the death penalty to Palestinian prisoners.

In March 2026, the Knesset passed legislation expanding the use of the death penalty for crimes classified as terrorism. Israeli officials said the legislation was intended to strengthen deterrence, while Human Rights Watch said its wording makes its application primarily, and potentially exclusively, directed at Palestinians.

The law allows the death penalty to be imposed by hanging in military courts in the occupied West Bank, while restricting the possibility of commuting the sentence and accelerating procedures for its implementation. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also described the legislation as discriminatory and inconsistent with Israel’s obligations under international law.

Why Is the Campaign Taking Action Now?

The campaign comes as the General Debate of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly is taking place, scheduled, according to the official UN timetable, from September 22 to 28.

The General Debate is the main event of the high-level week, during which world leaders and government representatives deliver statements outlining their governments’ positions on international crises and issues.

The Red Ribbons Campaign says that contacting permanent missions while statements and meetings are being prepared could encourage governments to include the issue of Palestinian prisoners and hostages in their public positions and bilateral discussions.

It argues that raising the issue by several countries would give it greater political and media visibility and increase pressure for action.

The letter is not an official UN petition, nor does it automatically trigger a vote or action within the General Assembly. Instead, it forms part of a civil pressure campaign targeting the positions of participating governments.

More Than 9,400 Palestinian Hostages

The campaign says that more than 9,400 Palestinian hostages remain detained in Israeli prisons and military facilities, including around 3,200 held under administrative detention without formal charges, trial, or disclosure of the evidence used against them.

It adds that around 370 children are among the hostages, some of whom are subjected to interrogation without legal counsel, alongside restrictions on access for humanitarian monitors from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The campaign’s figures are broadly in line with the latest update published by Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association on September 16, based on information collected by Palestinian organisations and published by the Israeli prison authorities.

According to the update, the number of Palestinian hostages stood at around 9,350 at the beginning of September, including 3,176 held under administrative detention, more than 350 children, and 90 women.

The figure also includes 1,393 Palestinians from Gaza detained by Israel under the “Unlawful Combatants” Law, which allows them to be held without being charged or put on trial.

Addameer explained that this figure does not include all Palestinian prisoners and hostages from Gaza held inside camps operated by the Israeli military, meaning the actual number may be higher than the published figures.

Estimates of the number of children also vary depending on the date on which the data was collected and the organisation reporting it. Data from the Israeli organisation Btselem, based on figures from the Israel Prison Service, shows that 376 Palestinian children were held in prisons at the end of June 2026.

Call for ICRC Access

The letter calls for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to be granted access to all Palestinian prisoners and hostages and their detention facilities, allowing it to monitor their health and humanitarian conditions and inform their families of their situation.

The Israeli occupation authorities halted ICRC visits to Palestinian hostages following the October 7, 2023 attack, linking their resumption to the return of Israeli hostages from Gaza.

In June 2026, the Israeli Supreme Court overturned the ban, ruling that the ICRC must be allowed to visit Palestinians held in prisons and military detention centres.

An ICRC spokesperson said at the time that the organisation was ready to resume visits, while the Israel Prison Service said it would comply with the court ruling, without announcing a date or detailed arrangements for their resumption, according to Reuters.

The campaign therefore focuses on implementing the ruling and ensuring that the ICRC has actual and regular access to all Palestinian hostages and their places of detention, rather than merely lifting the ban through a judicial ruling.

The campaign will accept letters until September 29, one day after the end of the General Debate of the General Assembly, in an effort to encourage as many governments as possible to raise the issue of Palestinian prisoners and hostages with world leaders and during meetings at the United Nations.

Read More:

• Analysis: Palestine is redrawing the boundaries of silence in British culture — who gets to speak?
• Report: Where Should New Homes Be Built – and Who Are They For? Government Plan Reopens Housing Debate
• Analysis: Burnham and Trump: Is a New Tone Enough to Repair a Relationship Damaged by Trumps Impulses?