12 Prison Guards Indicted for Fatal Beating of Palestinian Prisoner
Israel's State Prosecution has filed a serious indictment against 12 Israel Prison Service (IPS) officers, accusing them of the reckless homicide of security prisoner Thair Abu Eitah and assaulting eight other inmates at Ketziot Prison in November 2023. The indictment, submitted to the Beersheba District Court, details how one of the accused, serving as the shift commander, was responsible for the prisoner count on November 18, 2023. The other defendants included guards, members of the IPS 'Keter' unit, and a dog handler.
According to the charges, Abu Eitah asked the shift sergeant about a ceasefire in the ongoing war. Before the evening count, the shift commander briefed his team, relaying Abu Eitah's question and instructing them to enter the cell during the count to show the prisoners there was no ceasefire. He stated he would take responsibility for any consequences and warned female guards present not to enter the cell to avoid injury.
The commander then led the team into the cell where Abu Eitah and eight other inmates were held. After initiating the count, he ordered the defendants to enter. The indictment alleges the officers collectively assaulted the prisoners with fists, kicks, and in some cases, batons, with the commander himself striking at least one inmate. After a few minutes, the commander ordered the assault to stop, and the officers left the cell without reporting any unusual incident.
Shortly after, Abu Eitah collapsed and lost consciousness. He was taken to the prison clinic and then to Soroka Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The prosecution claims his death resulted from the severe blows to his heart and respiratory system. The eight other inmates sustained significant injuries.
In a separate charge, the shift commander and the shift sergeant are accused of obstruction of justice. The indictment states the sergeant instructed a guard to lie during police questioning about the use of batons. The commander allegedly asked another guard to coordinate the story with a female guard who had not yet been questioned. While she initially provided a false account, she later admitted to lying and provided the true sequence of events. All defendants face charges including reckless homicide, aggravated severe assault, and multiple counts of aggravated moderate assault. The commander and sergeant also face charges for obstructing the investigation.
