Palestinian Prisoners Club Denounces Ben-Gvir's Threats Against Detainee

The Palestinian Prisoners Club stated on Monday, September 28, 2026, that Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's appearance in the cell of detainee Hassan Salameh, accompanied by death threats in a video he posted, is part of a systematic policy against prisoners. The club argued that this incident should not be viewed as an isolated act, emphasizing that the minister entering a prominent prisoner leader's cell and issuing direct threats signifies a dangerous escalation in the treatment of detainees, particularly their leadership.

This video follows numerous others released by Ben-Gvir, which the club claims deliberately humiliate and threaten prisoners, describing it as "consciousness branding." The club highlighted that direct death threats are especially alarming given the escalating situation within prisons, which includes solitary confinement, physical assaults, starvation, denial of medical care, and frequent transfers for prisoners, especially leaders.

The club warned against dismissing these videos as mere political propaganda, stressing that the repeated appearances of officials in prisons while interacting with detainees warrant serious attention. They linked the threats against Salameh to potential attempts to eliminate prisoner leaders and held Israeli authorities responsible for the lives of Salameh and all other detainees.

Hassan Salameh, born in Khan Yunis in 1971, was involved in activism from a young age and was arrested multiple times during the First Intifada, often administratively. He was wounded during that period and arrested in Hebron in 1996, sustaining a gunshot wound during the arrest. After his arrest, he underwent approximately four months of interrogation, which the Prisoners Club alleged included torture.

In 1997, Salameh was sentenced to 48 life terms, making him the third-highest sentenced prisoner after Abdullah Barghouti and Ibrahim Hamed. He has spent about 14 years in solitary confinement in two separate periods. His most recent solitary confinement began after the 2012 prisoner strike and was reinstated at the start of the recent war, along with other prisoner leaders.

The Prisoners Club urged international and human rights organizations to intervene, stop incitement against prisoners, provide protection, and hold those responsible for violations accountable. They cautioned that continued threats without accountability could increase the dangers faced by prisoners.