TEHRAN – Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has been accused of personally stepping on the heads of Palestinian detainees during a violent raid on Section 26 of Ofer Prison, according to testimonies collected by the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS).

Circulating social media footage shows Israeli forces storming the section during the evening count—a procedure often used to humiliate prisoners—deploying police dogs and flashbang grenades.

Ben-Gvir, accompanied by journalists, reportedly remained for nearly an hour, delivering provocative remarks while insisting the assault be filmed to promote his proposed death penalty legislation for Palestinians.

The PPS emphasized that these clips reveal only a fraction of the systematic torture and ill-treatment endured by detainees.

Witnesses described guards forcing prisoners’ faces to the ground while Ben-Gvir stepped on them to inflict physical pain and profound humiliation.

The raid appears timed to bolster support for a controversial bill authorizing executions by hanging, which passed its first Knesset reading in November 2025 with backing from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza, the PPS notes that authorities have increasingly publicized such abuse to intimidate families and rally domestic support.

Currently, more than 9,300 Palestinians, including 350 children, are held under dire conditions marked by torture, starvation, and medical neglect.

The PPS has renewed calls for urgent international action to halt the abuses, restore family visits, and impose sanctions on responsible Israeli officials.

Ben-Gvir, in office since late 2022, has consistently targeted Palestinian prisoners with inflammatory videos and threats, including execution warnings directed at prominent leaders like Marwan al-Barghouti.