Israel’s national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has extended a ban on visits to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails for another month, as reported by Maariv newspaper. This decision comes as part of a broader policy to tighten restrictions on Palestinians in prisons, with family visits to prisoners being halted since the beginning of the war.
As of August 1, 2023, there were 9,881 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, according to the Israel Prison Service. Reports from human rights organizations highlight deteriorating conditions in Israeli prisons, especially in the Sde Teyman prison, following the onslaught on the Gaza Strip last October.
Since the Israeli army’s ground operation in Gaza, thousands of Palestinian civilians, including women, children, and health and civil defense team members, have been detained. Despite the release of some prisoners from Gaza in recent months, many show signs of health deterioration due to alleged torture and medical neglect.