“You Must Die”: Palestinian Prisoner Abdullah Barghouti Facing Systematic Assassination Attempt in Israeli Prisons, Says Watchdog

Occupied West Bank (Quds News Network)- Prominent Palestinian prisoner Abdullah Barghouti is facing a systematic assassination attempt in Israel’s Gilbou Prison, with his health condition deteriorating to a critical stage that directly threatens his life, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Media Office on Tuesday.

The Office stated that Barghouti is being subjected to severe beatings, resulting in extensive bruising, blood clots in his head, swollen eyes, broken ribs, and an inability to sleep. His cell is repeatedly raided by Israeli suppression units, led by an officer named Amir, who assaults him to the extent that nearly half a liter of blood is extracted from his body with each incident.

In an act of “extreme inhumanity,” the Office said dogs are brought in to bite his blood-soaked body, with the officer commanding, “Bring the dogs to have fun with him.” After each round of torture, hot gel-like liquid is poured onto his emaciated body, while the officer insults him, saying, “You were once a leader, today you are nothing… you must die.”

The Office further reported that Barghouti falls into repeated comas and has no means of protection, resorting to wrapping his hand with a trash bag and toilet paper cardboard. He is forced to sleep sitting on the ground, with his head bent forward due to the pain. He has been unable to bathe for 12 days and is compelled to soak bread in water to drink, as he is unable to chew.

Barghouti, who also holds Jordanian citizenship, has been detained since 2003 and has faced harsh conditions throughout his incarceration.

However, his family reported on Friday that the abuse has intensified since the start of the Israeli genocide on Gaza in October 2023.

Barghouti, a member of Hamas’ armed wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, is serving the longest prison sentence in Israeli custody, having been sentenced to 67 life terms for allegedly masterminding bombings that resulted in the deaths of dozens of Israelis.

He has remained one of the key figures Israel has refused to release in prisoner exchange talks with Hamas.

The Prisoners’ Media Office held the Israeli occupation fully responsible for this “crime, emphasizing that it amounts to a deliberate slow assassination and a blatant violation of international norms.”

His daughter, Tala Barghouti, posted on Facebook, revealing the “horrific” daily abuse her father is subjected to. She described how, after other prisoners were removed from his cell, Barghouti was tortured for hours using brutal methods, including iron rods and belts.

She shared that the beatings left severe physical marks on his body, causing multiple fractures, excruciating pain and an inability to stand or move.

“The lawyer left the visit with tears in her eyes, unable to convey the shock and anguish she witnessed. It encapsulated the daily torment of a prisoner whose dignity is being crushed without mercy,” Tala Barghouti wrote.

His family has urged the Jordanian government, the Jordanian embassy and the foreign ministry to take immediate action to save his life.

Barghouti is currently incarcerated in Gilbou Prison, where he was transferred in December 2023.

Throughout his 23 years of imprisonment, Barghouti has spent most of his time in solitary confinement and has been denied family visits.

There are currently more than 9,900 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, including 27 women and over 400 minors.

All are imprisoned under harsh conditions that have worsened since October 2023, including torture, denial of food and medical care, and humiliation.

At least 60 prisoners have died as a result of these conditions over the past 17 months, marking an unprecedented escalation in mistreatment.