Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, is facing explosive allegations that he personally took part in the violent humiliation of Palestinian prisoners during a raid on Ofer Prison — including stepping on detainees’ heads as they lay restrained on the ground.
The claims, reported by TRT World and based on testimonies gathered by the Palestinian Prisoner Society, describe a 15-minute “suppression operation” that prisoners say turned into a staged spectacle of domination.
According to the accounts, security forces stormed Section 26 of the prison with dogs and stun grenades. Detainees were forced face-down. Some were beaten. Video clips later circulated online appear to show prisoners pinned to the floor as armed personnel move through the block. Witnesses say Ben-Gvir entered the unit, shouted at prisoners and at one point stepped on the heads of men already restrained.
The Palestinian Prisoner Society says more than 100 Palestinian detainees have died in Israeli custody since the Gaza war began in 2023. It describes prison conditions as systematically abusive, with beatings, food deprivation and medical neglect becoming routine. Israel disputes characterizations of widespread abuse, but access for independent monitors remains limited.
Since Ben-Gvir took office in late 2022, conditions for Palestinian prisoners have deteriorated sharply, with noticeable weight loss reported due to punitive policies. He has pushed legislation calling for the execution of Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis.
Under international law, detainees are entitled to protection from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. When a government minister is accused of personally violating that standard, the line between individual misconduct and state policy blurs.
For Palestinians in Israeli jails, the message of the raid was blunt. You are powerless. We can do this on camera. And nothing will happen to us.
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