Israeli guards torturing Palestinian prisoner Abdullah Barghouti family says
Prominent Palestinian prisoner Abdullah Barghouti has endured ongoing severe physical abuse at the hands of Israeli prison guards, according to his family.
Barghouti, who also holds Jordanian citizenship, has been detained since 2003 and has faced harsh conditions throughout his incarceration.
However, his family reports that the abuse has intensified since the onset of the Israeli war 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 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.
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On Friday, 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'
- Tala Barghouti, Abdullah Barghouti's daughter
"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.
The prisoner is also reportedly suffering from painful, untreated open wounds, with no medical care provided.
His fellow inmates have been forced to sterilise his wounds with dishwashing liquid due to the absence of proper medical treatment.
Barghouti is unable to sleep lying down because of the severity of his injuries, and his weight has reportedly dropped to just 70kg.
His family has urged the Jordanian government, the Jordanian embassy and the foreign ministry to take immediate action to save his life.
Lawyer and family visits denied
Faida Barghouti, the prisoner’s wife, told Middle East Eye that the lawyer’s most recent visit to her husband on Wednesday left her shocked by his deteriorating health.
She revealed that he had been subjected to a brutal beating on Palestinian Prisoners' Day, 17 April.
She explained that Barghouti had been struck in his eyes and hands, rendering them immobile and appearing to be broken.
Despite the severity of his injuries, he has not received any medical treatment.
Barghouti is currently incarcerated in Gilboa Prison, where he was transferred in December 2023.
"My husband has been severely beaten several times, but we never hear from him because lawyers are banned from visiting him. It takes at least three months to receive a response to their visit request, whether it's approved or rejected, and often the request is denied," she said.
Throughout his 23 years of imprisonment, Barghouti has spent most of his time in solitary confinement and has been denied family visits.
"We used to receive news of him from released prisoners. We only managed to visit him five times in 23 years, and his father, who passed away in January 2024, saw him just once," Faida added.
The family is in contact with various human rights organisations, hoping to pressure Israel into providing Barghouti with the necessary medical care.
However, they say these efforts have proven futile, as Israel seems determined to target him personally.
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.
middleeasteye.net