Palestinians denounce Israeli minister Ben-Gvir’s threats against prisoner

What the report says

Palestinian institutions and Hamas have sharply condemned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir after he posted video showing himself confronting Palestinian prisoner Hassan Salama inside a cell and threatening to kill him. The Palestinian Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs said the footage reflected extreme humiliation and abusive treatment, while the Palestinian Prisoners Media Office described it as a political stunt ahead of Israel’s October 27 elections. Al Jazeera reported that Ben-Gvir said the clip was recorded two weeks earlier and that he was surrounded by Israeli security forces during the encounter.

Salama has been imprisoned by Israel for about 30 years and is serving multiple life sentences for his role in Hamas-linked attacks in 1996. The report says Ben-Gvir also repeated calls for the execution of Palestinian prisoners, echoing his broader hardline campaign on detention policy. Hamas said the threat could signal further abuse of detainees and vowed to continue pressing for their release.

The episode comes amid wider controversy over Ben-Gvir’s approach to Palestinian prisoners and occupied Palestinian territory. Al Jazeera noted that he has previously taunted other detainees, pushed for tougher measures in prisons, and backed a March law allowing the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners in certain cases. He has also called for Palestinians to leave Gaza and the occupied West Bank, proposals that have drawn criticism from regional and international observers.