Gaza Herald – The Palestinian Center for Prisoner Rights and Human Defense called Sunday for an international investigation after far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir entered the cell of Palestinian prisoner Hassan Salameh and threatened him with death and execution, saying the incident reflects a dangerous escalation in public incitement against Palestinian prisoners.
In a statement carried by Sana News Agency, the center said Ben-Gvir’s threat against Salameh inside his cell, in which he told the prisoner, “I want to kill you. I want to execute you,” requires a serious international response, including an investigation into the threat and measures to ensure Salameh’s safety.
The organization noted that Salameh has been imprisoned for approximately 30 years, nearly half of which he has spent in solitary confinement, and suffers from several chronic illnesses. It said Ben-Gvir entered his cell to threaten him with death while boasting about the conditions of his imprisonment.
The center said turning a prisoner’s cell into a stage for threats and political spectacle before cameras reflects a dangerous level of humiliation and persecution, as well as the political exploitation of Palestinian prisoners. It warned against turning prisoners into material for electoral campaigning as Israeli elections approach.
According to the center, harsh detention conditions and the persecution of Palestinian prisoners are increasingly being used for political purposes. It said Ben-Gvir’s repeated prison visits and threats against prisoners in front of cameras reflect a lack of accountability and raise fears that such incitement could translate into further repression inside Israeli prisons.
The center also warned that policies of repression and deliberate medical neglect by the Israeli prison authorities have intensified in recent months, with prison forces carrying out raids and subjecting detainees to severe beatings.
These measures, it added, have been accompanied by reductions in water, food and personal hygiene supplies, as well as restrictions on religious necessities for Palestinian prisoners.
