Marwan Barghouti, the most prominent Palestinian prisoner, was reportedly beaten unconscious by Israeli prison guards on September 14, as claimed by his family. The 66-year-old, who is serving multiple life sentences for orchestrating attacks against Israelis, was allegedly assaulted by eight guards during a transfer between Ganot and Megiddo prisons. The Israel Prison Service responded, labeling the claims as false and asserting compliance with legal standards in their operations.
Barghouti's son, Arab, indicated that the family had gathered accounts from five released detainees who corroborated Barghouti's version of events, expressing deep concern over his condition following the alleged attack. He described the assault as occurring while Barghouti was handcuffed, stating that his father was kicked and beaten, focusing particularly on critical areas of the body. He remained unconscious for hours and suffered significant bleeding, struggling to walk afterward.
The incident reportedly took place during a period where surveillance cameras were absent, raising concerns about accountability. Barghouti, who has been imprisoned since 2004 for planning attacks that resulted in civilian casualties, was among the names sought by Hamas in negotiations for a prisoner exchange but was excluded by Israel.
Barghouti enjoys considerable popularity among Palestinians and is viewed as a potential unifier for various political factions. He remains a key figure in the Fatah party, which leads parts of the West Bank. Observations regarding his deteriorating prison conditions have been shared, compounding criticisms against Israeli authorities, particularly from right-wing officials like National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who has publicly expressed pride in worsening Barghouti's conditions.
Additionally, Ben Gvir was captured in a video taunting Barghouti, further drawing condemnation from the Palestinian Authority, which deemed the minister's actions as moral and psychological aggression against Barghouti.}
Barghouti's son, Arab, indicated that the family had gathered accounts from five released detainees who corroborated Barghouti's version of events, expressing deep concern over his condition following the alleged attack. He described the assault as occurring while Barghouti was handcuffed, stating that his father was kicked and beaten, focusing particularly on critical areas of the body. He remained unconscious for hours and suffered significant bleeding, struggling to walk afterward.
The incident reportedly took place during a period where surveillance cameras were absent, raising concerns about accountability. Barghouti, who has been imprisoned since 2004 for planning attacks that resulted in civilian casualties, was among the names sought by Hamas in negotiations for a prisoner exchange but was excluded by Israel.
Barghouti enjoys considerable popularity among Palestinians and is viewed as a potential unifier for various political factions. He remains a key figure in the Fatah party, which leads parts of the West Bank. Observations regarding his deteriorating prison conditions have been shared, compounding criticisms against Israeli authorities, particularly from right-wing officials like National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who has publicly expressed pride in worsening Barghouti's conditions.
Additionally, Ben Gvir was captured in a video taunting Barghouti, further drawing condemnation from the Palestinian Authority, which deemed the minister's actions as moral and psychological aggression against Barghouti.}
