Ben Gvir Defends Harsher Conditions for Palestinian Prisoners

The Israeli minister for national security said the era of better prison conditions was over as female detainees described worsening conditions

Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has openly defended the worsening conditions faced by Palestinian prisoners, telling female detainees during a visit to Damon Prison in northern Israel that he was proud of having reduced their prison conditions to the bare minimum.

In a video shared on social media, Ben Gvir addressed the Palestinian women in contemptuous terms and compared their treatment in Israeli prisons with the conditions endured by Israelis held hostage by Hamas and other extremist factions in the Gaza Strip following October 7, 2023.

“Our hostages did not have shampoo and did not enjoy good conditions. I am proud that we succeeded in reducing the prison conditions of the terrorists to the minimum. The summer camps in the prisons are over,” Ben Gvir said as the detainees stood against a wall, their faces obscured in the video.

One veiled detainee, speaking through an interpreter and identifying herself as a member of Islamic Jihad, told the minister that conditions inside the prison were “extremely bad.” She described nighttime raids and said the women were denied basic rights, stressing that female prisoners had particular needs.

The detainee also said that the women had not been able to wash for three days or change their underwear, warning of the risk of contracting illnesses and complaining that they were not receiving adequate medical care.

“I am responsible for this. Whoever harms my brothers will not receive hotel conditions,” Ben Gvir replied.

When another detainee asked the minister for help, Ben Gvir responded: “I don’t want to help you. You kidnapped our children, so why should I help you? The days when they helped you here in the government are over.”

Ben Gvir later commented on the social media post, again defending his approach to the treatment of Palestinian prisoners.

“The complaints of the terrorists about prison conditions do not affect me. Our hostages did not have any decent conditions. I will continue to pursue a policy of the bare minimum, the absolute minimum,” he wrote.

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(Photo: © AndKronos)