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Ben Gvir: Worsening prisoners' conditions one of my highest goals 

2 July 2024 08:27 BST

Worsening living conditions for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails is one of Itamar Ben Gvir's highest goals, the far-right minister said on Tuesday, as he advocated again for executing them.  

In a statement on social media platform X, the national security minister boasted about "reforms" in dealing with Palestinian prisoners that he has enforced since 7 October. 

Those reforms include stopping financial deposits, cancelling access to canteens, removing electronic devices from cells, ending daily outdoor time, "dramatically" reducing shower time and switching the "indulgent" food menu to a minimal menu, among other measures, according to him. 

Palestinian prisoners recently released from Israeli jails have described unprecedentedly harsh conditions and abuse in recent months, especially during interrogations. 

This includes rape, physical and psychological torture, deprivation of food, medicine and sleep, humiliation and degradation. Around 60 Palestinian prisoners have died under these conditions in the past nine months. 

"The prisons of the State of Israel are no longer a sad joke," Ben Gvir said. 

In his statement, he also called for enacting the death of what he called "terrorists" as a solution to overcrowding in Israeli jails.