A shocking video has emerged showing Israeli far-right minister Itamar Ben Gvir entering the cell of imprisoned Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti and threatening him directly. In the footage, broadcast by Israeli media, Ben Gvir declared: “Whoever harms the people of Israel… we will erase him.”

Barghouti, held in solitary confinement for two years, appeared visibly weak and emaciated, his altered appearance alarming his family and supporters. His wife, Fadwa, said she barely recognised him, describing the toll of hunger and exhaustion. His son, Qassam, warned that the threats are credible, noting that Israeli prison authorities have repeatedly assaulted his father since October 2023.

The incident has drawn outrage from Palestinians and human rights groups, who hold Israel fully accountable for Barghouti’s safety. They warn that the publicised threats from Ben Gvir, coupled with Barghouti’s deteriorating health, point to a deliberate attempt to silence one of the most prominent voices of the Palestinian national movement.

As calls grow for international intervention, fears mount that Barghouti, sentenced to multiple life terms, is now facing not only unjust imprisonment but also the risk of targeted harm under Israel’s escalating campaign against Palestinian political prisoners.