Israeli Minister Confronts Hamas Terrorist in Prison, Vows Execution

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir released a video from inside a prison where he confronted Hassan Salama, a Hamas terrorist convicted for orchestrating two bus bombings in Jerusalem in 1996 that killed 45 people. In the footage, Ben-Gvir, accompanied by masked guards, directly addresses Salama, stating his desire to see him executed. The minister also vowed to continue tightening the conditions for Palestinian prisoners.

Ben-Gvir recalled that as a teenager he protested against Salama's attacks and now, as minister, he has the opportunity to dictate the prisoner's conditions, viewing it as a form of "closure." He told Salama, "These are the conditions I have set for you. But this is not the end. I want to kill you. I want to put you to death." Ben-Gvir also told Salama that he expects hell after his death, adding that he is currently responsible for making the terrorist's prison life as difficult as possible.

Ben-Gvir has previously advocated for a law allowing the death penalty for Palestinian Arabs convicted of deadly terrorist attacks. However, no one has been executed under this law to date, and some observers consider its practical application unlikely. This is not the first such video released by Ben-Gvir; last year, he published footage of himself taunting and threatening Palestinian prisoner Marwan Barghouti.

Ben-Gvir's publications have previously faced scrutiny. In March, the Central Elections Committee concluded that some videos featuring the minister, filmed in prison and on a police boat, constituted an illegal use of state resources for electoral campaigning.