The Hamas Movement has warned that a threat by far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to kill Palestinian prisoner Hassan Salameh could set a dangerous precedent and lead to further killings of Palestinian prisoners inside Israeli jails.

In a statement issued overnight, Hamas accused Ben Gvir of seeking to turn Israeli prisons into places of extrajudicial execution and described his threats as a serious violation of international law.

The movement said a video released by Ben Gvir, in which the Israeli minister threatens Salameh, was intended to intimidate the Palestinian prisoner and other detainees.

Hamas said such threats would not weaken Salameh’s resolve or that of other Palestinian prisoners, stressing that the Palestinian detainees would continue to resist what it described as Israeli pressure and intimidation.

The movement also pledged to continue efforts to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

Hamas further warned that Israeli leaders would eventually be held accountable for actions it described as violations against Palestinians, saying history had shown that those responsible for war crimes could ultimately face consequences.

Ben Gvir threatens Palestinian prisoner

Ben Gvir recently published a video in which he threatened Hassan Salameh, a senior Hamas figure imprisoned in Israel.

Salameh is serving multiple life sentences in an Israeli prison in connection with attacks carried out during the Second Intifada. Israeli authorities have accused him of involvement in attacks that killed and wounded Israeli civilians, while Palestinians and Hamas describe him as a prisoner of the resistance.

The threat has drawn renewed attention to the treatment and security of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli detention facilities, particularly amid heightened tensions between Israel and Hamas.

Hamas said Ben Gvir’s statements should be viewed as part of a broader policy of intimidation against Palestinian prisoners and warned that allowing such threats to go unchecked could have serious consequences inside Israeli prisons. (ILKHA)