Hamas condemned the mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners at Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, describing it as a “new war crime” and calling on the international community to take action at all levels to “protect them and hold the occupier accountable.”
اضافة اعلان
On Friday, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited Ofer Prison near Ramallah, a visit during which Palestinian prisoners reportedly faced acts of abuse.
In an official statement, Hamas said that Israeli media coverage of the “brutal” mistreatment constitutes a “blatant challenge to international humanitarian laws concerning prisoners.”
The movement criticized international silence over conditions in Israeli prisons, calling it encouragement for the “fascist occupation” to continue its brutal practices, and described these acts as part of an ongoing “campaign of genocide and ethnic cleansing” against Palestinians.
Hamas urged governments and international institutions to fulfill their humanitarian, ethical, and legal responsibilities by stopping Israeli crimes in prisons, calling for urgent action to protect prisoners and hold Israel accountable.
According to Israeli Channel 7, Ben-Gvir and police officials reportedly used stun grenades outside the cells of Palestinian prisoners during the raid.
During his tour of the prison, Ben-Gvir stated that the changes made to the prisons “are not enough,” and announced his intention to promote a law introducing the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners.
In November 2025, the Knesset passed the first reading of a bill submitted by the far-right Jewish Power Party, led by Ben-Gvir. The law stipulates that anyone who, intentionally or unintentionally, causes the death of an Israeli citizen out of racial motives or hostility toward a group, with the aim of harming the State of Israel and the Jewish people, is subject to the death penalty. The bill still requires second and third readings before becoming law, with no date set for further voting.
Ben-Gvir expressed satisfaction over what he described as Israel’s “radical” changes to prison conditions, referring to stricter measures against Palestinian prisoners.
Since Ben-Gvir assumed office as National Security Minister at the end of 2022, the conditions of Palestinian prisoners have deteriorated rapidly, including significant weight loss due to punitive policies imposed on prison wings.
Numerous Palestinian, Israeli, and international reports have repeatedly warned of systematic torture in Israeli prisons, which intensified after October 2023 alongside the war in Gaza.
Released Palestinian prisoners have reported systematic torture, cases of sexual assault, starvation, medical neglect, and mental health issues resulting from abuse.
Currently, more than 9,300 Palestinians, including 350 children, are held in Israeli prisons, according to Palestinian data as of February 5, 2026.
