JERUSALEM — Palestinian military prosecutors in Gaza have charged three Palestinian peace activists with “weakening revolutionary spirit” for their role in holding a video call with Israelis in April. The activists belong to the Gaza Youth Committee, which organized the virtual discussion as a part of a bridge-building initiative that they named “Skype With Your Enemy.” The decision to press charges defied the calls of several human rights organizations, which have repeatedly demanded that the activists be released after being detained in April by Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza. The Palestinians could face years in prison in addition to hard labor, said Raji Sourani, the director of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, the Gaza-based group representing them. The charges were filed last week but were made public on Thursday by the group.

Source: New York Times September 24, 2020 21:30 UTC