This comes as part of the provocative policies of the extremist Yemeni minister, and comes a day after Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir approved the "central idea" of the plan to reoccupy the entire Gaza Strip, including the attack on the Zeitoun area southeast of Gaza City, which began Tuesday.
The private Hebrew Channel 7 reported that extremist minister Ben Gvir stormed the solitary confinement ward where prisoner Barghouti was being held and told him: "Whoever kills our children or women, we will wipe them out. You will not defeat us."
The channel published a video clip of Ben-Gvir conducting the provocative visit to Barghouthi, who appeared to be emaciated and in poor health. The channel stated that Ben-Gvir's visit to the prison was to monitor the tightening of detention conditions for Palestinian prisoners.
For its part, the family of prominent Palestinian prisoner Marwan Barghouti expressed fears that he could be "executed" in prison by order of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, following threats against him in prison.
Barghouti's family said, "We fear that Marwan will be executed in his cell by order of Ben-Gvir, after he was threatened in prison." They added, "We are shocked by the changes in Marwan's facial features and the exhaustion and hunger he is experiencing."
Palestinian concern
Following the video's circulation, Palestinian condemnations followed. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs described Ben-Gvir's storming of Barghouti's cell and threatening him as "an unprecedented provocation and organized state terrorism." Hussein al-Sheikh, the Palestinian Vice President, described Ben-Gvir's threats to Barghouti in prison as "the height of psychological, moral, and physical terrorism."
In a post on the X platform, Sheikh said, "Ben Gvir's threat to leader Marwan Barghouti in his prison is the height of psychological, moral, and physical terrorism practiced against prisoners, and a violation of international and humanitarian conventions and norms." He added, "This constitutes an unprecedented lapse in the occupation's policy against Palestinian prisoners, which requires immediate intervention from international organizations and institutions to protect them."
For his part, Raed Abu al-Hummus, head of the Palestinian Authority for Prisoners' Affairs, expressed concern for the life of imprisoned Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, after Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stormed his cell and threatened him, crossing every red line.
Abu al-Hummus said in a statement on Thursday that "the extremist Ben Gvir's arrival at the cell of leader Abu al-Qassam (Marwan Barghouti) constitutes a public threat, and the words and discussions he made, in terms of their content and style, are a dangerous indicator of the intentions concealed by this troubled racist."
He added, "Ben-Gvir, who tortured prisoners in front of cameras, and has a history of hate and racism, dares to attack a leader of the stature of Abu al-Qassam. This crosses all red lines, and we are concerned for his life." Abu al-Hummus called on the Palestinian people to stand up for Abu al-Qassam and his sacrifices.
For its part, the Palestinian Prisoners' Information Office described Ben-Gvir's attack on Marwan Barghouti inside his prison cell on Thursday evening as "a scene that reveals a mentality of revenge." In a post on Telegram, the office said, "Ben-Gvir's attack on imprisoned leader Marwan Barghouti inside his prison cell reveals the mentality of revenge and incitement that drives the Israeli prison system."
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He emphasized that since Ben-Gvir assumed his position at the Ministry of National Security, the Prison Service has become a tool for collective punishment against Palestinian prisoners through systematic measures aimed at humiliating them and crushing their humanity. The Prisoners' Information Office asserted that what is taking place is "revenge with an official cover."
Who is Barghouti?
Barghouti is one of the most prominent leaders of the Fatah movement and a member of its Central Committee. He is being held in Ganot Prison (formerly known as Ramon and Nafha Prisons) in central Israel.
Barghouti is one of the most prominent leaders of the Palestinian prisoner movement in Israeli prisons. He has been detained since 2002 and sentenced to five life sentences.
Israel arrested Barghouti in April 2002 and sentenced him to five life sentences and 40 years in prison on charges of responsibility for operations carried out by armed groups affiliated with the Fatah movement, which resulted in the death and injury of Israelis.
A "life sentence" in Israel is indefinite in duration, although it is commonly understood to mean life imprisonment. However, in recent years, Tel Aviv has adopted a policy of withholding the bodies of prisoners even after their death in prison.
Since Ben-Gvir assumed his duties as Minister of National Security in late 2022, the conditions of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons have deteriorated significantly, with significant weight loss observed as a result of the policies he imposed in prisons.
On July 17, Ben-Gvir boasted about starving Palestinian prisoners, explicitly stating in a post on the X platform that he was in his position "to ensure that terrorists receive the minimum amount of food," referring to the prisoners.
According to previous data published by the Prisoners' Club, the number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails reached 10,800 as of early August, including 49 female prisoners, 450 children, and 2,378 detainees classified as "unlawful combatants."
The club clarified that the total number does not include detainees held in Israeli military camps, including prisoners from Lebanon and Syria.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel, with American support, has been committing genocide in Gaza, including killing, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement, ignoring all international calls and orders from the International Court of Justice to halt it.
The Israeli genocide left 61,776 Palestinians dead and 154,906 injured, most of them children and women. More than 9,000 people were missing, hundreds of thousands were displaced, and a famine claimed the lives of 239 people, including 106 children.
