Ben-Gvir visits Ofer prison as tear gas fired in cells housing Palestinians
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, visited the cells of Palestinian prisoners at Ofer Prison near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, according to Wafa.
It said video footage released by Israeli media showed assaults on prisoners with the use of gas and stun grenades, as well as the forced removal and mistreatment of prisoners in the prison yard.
Ben-Gvir, who is in charge of the Israeli prison system, is reported to have threatened prisoners before the month of Ramadan, as he boasted about the changes he has made to prison conditions since taking office and warned of potential executions.
In November, Ben-Gvir bragged about the harsh treatment of Palestinian prisoners in a video filmed next to bound prisoners lying blindfolded on the floor.
A few days later, Ben-Gvir was seen carrying sweets in Israel’s parliament as it advanced a bill that would allow the death penalty for “terrorists” and is seen as targeting Palestinians.
Israeli army chief visits Rafah
Eyal Zamir said on his visit that the Israeli army is ready to resume its attacks on Gaza if ordered to do so.
“We are not relinquishing the objectives of the war – the full demilitarization of the Gaza Strip and the disarmament of Hamas,” he said.
As reported by Israeli outlet Haaretz, the Israeli army released two separate statements about Zamir’s visit, one in English and one in Hebrew. In the English statement, it quoted him as saying soldiers “stand ready to act defensively as required”. The Hebrew statement, however, said the army is “prepared to act offensively as necessary”.
