Far-right Israeli minister boasts of worse prison conditions
Ben Gvir responds approvingly as he compares the treatment to that of hostages held for up to two years by Hamas and other militants in Gaza.
Far-right Israeli Minister Itamar Ben Gvir recently visited female Palestinian prisoners, praising the worsening conditions in their cells during a politically charged visit. Just two months before national elections, Ben Gvir showcased a video of a veiled woman prisoner, Yasmine Shaaban, lamenting the dire circumstances in which they reside, noting they haven't bathed for three days and haven't changed clothing.
Comparing this to the treatment of Israeli hostages captured by militant groups, Ben Gvir stated that the Palestinians "don't get any rights" and that they "haven't bathed for three days." Asserting that Israeli hostages had it far worse, Ben Gvir declared his pride in reducing the prisoners' conditions to their most basic level. The summer activities in the prison camps have ended, Ben Gvir added.
Ben Gvir, who has a history of provocative actions and statements, including previous convictions for racism, is currently facing intense international scrutiny. Recently, he made alarming remarks about potentially killing 30 to 40 Palestinians each night in Gaza. Accusations of brutality, hatred, and racism have been directed at Ben Gvir by the Palestinian Authority's Commission on Detainees Affairs.
The Gaza prisoners' ministry under Hamas has condemned Ben Gvir's video as displaying "the depths of depravity to which the occupation regime has sunk." As Israel prepares for the October 27 elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition faces polling challenges, prompting Ben Gvir to reject attempts to enhance the right-wing's electoral prospects by running jointly with another ultranationalist.
Written by urgent.news from Hindustan Times - World News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
