Gaza Herald – Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stormed the cells of Ofer Prison near Ramallah on Friday morning, reportedly threatening Palestinian detainees with execution. The visit, according to Israel’s Channel 7, took place ahead of Ramadan and included an inspection of prisoner cells.
Footage released by the channel showed Israeli forces using tear gas and stun grenades inside the cells while pointing weapons at inmates. Ben-Gvir reportedly warned prisoners not to engage in any activity during Ramadan, boasting about changes he implemented in the prison system and threatening executions, claiming the facilities are now “a real prison, not a hotel.”
He also told prison authorities that the reforms he introduced were “insufficient” and indicated his intent to push for death sentences for Palestinian prisoners.
A January 2026 report by B’Tselem described Israeli prisons and detention centers as a “systematic network of torture camps,” citing widespread physical and psychological abuse, starvation, medical neglect, and complete isolation.
Since October 2023, at least 84 Palestinian prisoners have died in Israeli detention, including one minor, while other human rights organizations estimate the toll at 94, alongside six detainees who died during interrogation by the Shin Bet.
By September 2025, Israeli prison authorities reported 10,863 Palestinian detainees, including 350 children and 48 women, highlighting the scale of incarceration amid ongoing abuses.
