The International Committee of the Red Cross has complained that Israel still has not freed a number of Arab prisoners who were to have been released under an agreement it reached with Israel last November 23. The agreement called for the exchange of six Israelis held prisoner by the Palestine Liberation Organization for 4,400 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel or in detention camps in south Lebanon.
The ICRC said, in its bulletin published here, that it continues to urge the Israeli authorities to take the appropriate action. It also stated that ICRC representatives have not had access to all detention centers in Israel and Israel-occupied south Lebanon. The bulletin reported that the Ansar prison camp in south Lebanon, from which 4,000 Palestinians were released in November, now has more than 450 new inmates. ICRC representatives have resumed weekly visits to the camp to register the latest internees. Some of the prisoners are allowed weekly visits from their families.
The ICRC also reported continued concern for the safety of local civilians in south Lebanon who are targets of intimidation and attacks by armed elements in the area.
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