Far-right Israeli minister boasts of worse prison conditions

Israeli politician Itamar Ben Gvir has a history of provocative actions and statements.

Israeli far-right minister Itamar Ben Gvir boasted about worsening conditions for Palestinian prisoners, including lack of basic hygiene and rights, comparing them to Hamas hostages. A video showed a female prisoner describing extreme hardships, sparking condemnation from Palestinian groups accusing Ben Gvir of brutality and racism. Ben Gvir's provocative actions and statements occur amid Israel's upcoming elections, with his stance causing political tensions within the right-wing coalition. AI generated

JERUSALEM – Israel’s far-right national security minister on Aug 30 boasted of worsening conditions for Palestinian prisoners as he visited female inmates.

Two months before elections, Itamar Ben Gvir posted a video in which a veiled woman, her face blurred out, said that prisoners had “extremely bad” conditions and “don’t get any rights, and we have particular needs as women”.

“We haven’t bathed for three days and we haven’t changed our underwear,” she said, warning of the risk of disease.

Ben Gvir responds approvingly as he compares the treatment to that of hostages held for up to two years by Hamas and other militants in Gaza following the Oct 7, 2023, attacks .

“Our hostages had no shampoo and had no such conditions. I am proud that we have succeeded in reducing the terrorists’ prison conditions to the bare minimum. The summer camps in the prisons are over,” Ben Gvir said.

Ben Gvir, who earlier in his career was convicted of offences including racism, has a history of provocative actions and statements.

Earlier in 2026, he posted a video of himself taunting foreign activists of an intercepted flotilla that tried to break the blockade of Gaza, saying “welcome to Israel” as they were forced to kneel with shackled hands.

The activists reported physical abuse, with an Australian saying Israeli authorities sexually assaulted her. Israel denied the allegations.

Ben Gvir again drew international condemnation recently when he said Israel should kill 30 to 40 Palestinians each night in Gaza.

According to her husband, the prisoner speaking in the video is Yasmine Shaaban, who was re-arrested by Israeli forces in May 2025 during a raid on her home near Jenin, months after being released as part of a Gaza ceasefire agreement.

The Palestinian Authority’s Commission on Detainees Affairs accused Ben Gvir of “brutality, hatred and racism”.

The Gaza prisoners ministry under Hamas said Ben Gvir’s video “reflects the depths of depravity to which the occupation regime has sunk”.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition is struggling in some polls ahead of Oct 27 elections, and Ben Gvir has refused his pleas to boost the right-wing’s chances by running jointly with a fellow ultranationalist. AFP

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