On July 30th, 2023, ultranationalist Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir has aggressively dismantled protections for Palestinian prisoners, ruthlessly stripping away even the most basic rights under a brutal policy of collective punishment. By cancelling the administrative early release policy, which had provided limited relief from severe overcrowding, Ben-Gvir signaled his intent to make Palestinian detainees suffer even more.
Since joining Israel’s far-right government, Ben-Gvir has relentlessly imposed draconian measures designed to dehumanize Palestinian prisoners. His regime has tightly controlled water usage and shower times, locked off shower facilities, and deliberately supplied prisoners with substandard, degrading food. The doubling of violent raids—using stun grenades and sniffer dogs—has created a climate of constant fear and intimidation.
Worryingly, preliminary approval of laws to deny prisoners essential medical care and authorize the death penalty for political prisoners points to a calculated move toward legalized cruelty and repression.
Beyond physical abuses, Ben-Gvir has intensified psychological torment by doubling solitary confinement durations, confiscating televisions, repeatedly transferring prisoner leaders—especially those serving life sentences—and threatening to shut down basic public facilities on weekends.
These punitive policies are not isolated acts but part of a systematic campaign to crush Palestinian resistance and erode the prisoners’ humanity. Ben-Gvir’s actions flagrantly violate international human rights standards and deepen Israel’s moral and legal crisis amid ongoing occupation.
2023
Source: Wafa News Agency
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