Israeli prison guards ‘shot prominent Palestinian detainees nine times’

Israeli prison guards shot and wounded prominent Palestinian detainee Hassan Salameh nine times last month, his fiancee and a prisoners' rights group have said. The assault on Salameh, 55, came after National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir stormed his cell and filmed himself threatening to kill him. The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS), which monitors the conditions of Palestinian detainees, said it received information about the assault following a visit to Salameh by a lawyer on Monday. Information provided to the group and Salameh’s fiancee, Ghufran Zamel, indicated that he had been severely beaten and shot nine times. The type of ammunition used and the precise circumstances of the shooting remain unclear. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Israeli prison guards have recently stepped up the use of rubber-coated bullets against prisoners, firing at them from close range inside their cells. The practice has caused severe injuries and potentially irreversible harm, according to rights groups. PPS said Israeli restrictions on prison visits had prevented the lawyer from obtaining further details. “This has raised serious concerns about the prisoner's fate and underscores the urgent need to disclose the circumstances of the incident and guarantee his physical safety,” the group said. Zamel told local media that Salameh was beaten before Ben Gvir's visit and after he left. An Israeli force stormed the cell, subjecting him to a severe beating, including blows to the face, before firing nine bullets at him. Three days after the assault, Salameh was taken to have his injuries photographed. He was then returned to his cell without medical treatment and given only painkillers, despite the injuries he had sustained, Zamel said. According to Zamel, Monday's visit by the lawyer confirmed that Salameh was still suffering from the effects of the assault and remained in poor health. He appeared visibly exhausted. PPS said the attack came amid what it described as a campaign targeting prominent Palestinian prisoners, which goes “beyond repression and punishment” and places their lives at risk. “Prisoner leaders are facing various forms of physical and psychological torture, systematic crackdowns and public threats to kill them made by Israel's far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben Gvir,” the group said. “The continuation of these policies, alongside restrictions on visits and the absence of independent oversight, paves the way for further violations and deprives prisoners of even the most basic protection.” Escalating abuse Born in the Khan Younis refugee camp in southern Gaza in 1971, Salameh became involved in Palestinian resistance against the Israeli occupation after the outbreak of the First Intifada in 1987. He later became a leading figure in the armed wing of Hamas, the al-Qassam Brigades. In 1996, Israel convicted him of orchestrating several bombings that killed and wounded scores of Israelis. Salameh said the attacks were carried out in response to Israel's assassination of Hamas bombmaker Yahya Ayyash earlier that year. Israeli guards ‘crushed’ Palestinian prisoner’s testicle with rubber bullet Read More » He was sentenced to 48 life terms and has spent a total of 14 years in solitary confinement since his imprisonment 30 years ago. In September, Ben Gvir posted a video showing himself in Salameh’s cell, surrounded by security guards, as he told him that he wanted to "execute" him. The minister also vowed to ensure prisoners such as Salameh were "put to death" if he became defence minister. Palestinian prisoners, particularly prominent figures such as Salameh, have long faced abuse by Israeli prison authorities. However, reports of abuse have escalated since the Gaza war and genocide began in October 2023. Several rights groups have accused Israeli prison authorities of widespread torture, physical assaults, sexual violence, starvation, medical neglect and humiliation of prisoners since then. Last month, Physicians for Human Rights Israel and the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel said they had collected 21 testimonies documenting what they described as a “dangerous practice” of prison guards firing rubber-coated bullets at prisoners from close range. In one incident, an Israeli prison guard seriously wounded a Palestinian prisoner by firing rubber-coated bullets at his testicle. His right testicle was “completely crushed” and had to be surgically removed.