Israel's National Security Minister Confronts Hamas Terrorist in Prison

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir released a video showing him confronting Hassan Salameh, a senior Hamas military wing leader responsible for deadly terror attacks, inside an Israeli prison. In the footage, recorded about two weeks prior, Ben-Gvir tells Salameh, "I want to kill you. I want to execute you." He also stated, "This is the hell I created for you. But this is not the end. Here, I am in charge of hell."

Ben-Gvir explained the personal significance of the encounter, recalling his youth when he protested bus bombings in Jerusalem that killed dozens. He told Salameh that the teenage protester had become the national security minister, confronting "the devil." Ben-Gvir asserted that his policies had made Salameh's life hell and vowed to pursue the execution of terrorists and promote the emigration of Palestinians from Gaza, Judea, and Samaria if he becomes defense minister.

Hassan Salameh, born in 1971 in Gaza, joined Hamas during the First Intifada and became involved in its military wing. He fled Gaza in 1993, received weapons and bomb-making training in Iran, and later became close to Mohammed Deif. In January 1996, Deif tasked Salameh with organizing suicide bombings in Israel following the assassination of Hamas explosives expert Yahya Ayyash. Salameh detailed to the Los Angeles Times how he prepared suicide bombers and assembled devices with nails and metal balls for attacks in Jerusalem and Ashkelon.

Two bus bombings on Route 18 in Jerusalem on February 25, 1996, and March 3, 1996, killed a total of 45 people. Simultaneously, a bomber attacked a bus stop in Ashkelon, killing a 20-year-old soldier. Salameh was arrested in May 1996 and sentenced to 46 consecutive life sentences for his role in the attacks that officially claimed 46 lives, though Ben-Gvir stated 48 in the video.

Ben-Gvir's ministry oversees the Israel Prison Service, and he has implemented stricter conditions for terrorists, including limiting their access to food and cooking facilities. In March 2026, the Knesset passed a law he promoted allowing the death penalty for terrorists, though it cannot be applied retroactively to Salameh. Hamas condemned Ben-Gvir's threats, calling him a "criminal" and accusing him of mistreating Palestinian prisoners. The Palestinian Prisoners' Affairs Association "Wa'ad," designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. Treasury, called the threat unprecedented.