The Palestinian Prisoners' Society warned Friday of a "dangerous plan" it said aims to assassinate imprisoned Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti inside Israeli jails, amid allegations of severe assaults and growing international calls for his release.
Barghouti, a member of Fatah's Central Committee and a leading figure in Palestinian politics, was arrested by Israel in 2002 and convicted of murder and attempted murder. He is serving five life sentences and remains widely popular among Palestinians.
Amjad al-Najjar, the group's director general, said in a statement that "the escalation of assaults against the leader Marwan Barghouti, coinciding with international movements and figures calling for his immediate release, reflects dangerous intentions within the occupation government to get rid of him while in detention, in a compounded crime and a blatant violation of international humanitarian law."
He urged the UN and international organizations to "intervene urgently," dispatch "a UN committee to visit leader Barghouti, examine his conditions in solitary confinement, and exert real pressure to secure his release and save his life before it is too late."
In a post on Facebook, Qassam Barghouti, the son of the imprisoned leader, cited a former prisoner who told him Friday that Israeli forces "crushed his father's body, broke his teeth, ribs, and fingers, and cut part of his ear inside prison."
He said efforts to reach the alleged source again had failed.
"We contacted all official and legal bodies we could to help us obtain any information, but until this moment, we have been unable to do so," he wrote.
- PALESTINIAN PRESIDENCY RESPONSE
The Palestinian Presidency condemned what it called "ongoing assaults and dangerous retaliatory measures" targeting Barghouti, holding the Israeli government fully and directly responsible for his safety and the safety of all prisoners in Israeli custody.
It called on the international community, human rights organizations and the International Committee of the Red Cross to "act immediately and urgently" to pressure Israel to halt violations.
Previous threats and political stakes
On Feb. 18, Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stormed Barghouti's cell and issued death threats against him, according to video released by Israeli media at the time.
Barghouti is frequently viewed by analysts as a unifying figure capable of rallying Palestinians around a "two-state solution," particularly amid shifts following Israel's genocide in the Gaza Strip.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government continues to oppose the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
On Oct. 23, US President Donald Trump said he would decide whether to push for Barghouti's release, but no decision has been announced.
More than 10,000 Palestinian prisoners remain in Israeli jails, including children and women, and "suffer from torture, starvation, and medical neglect" — conditions that have led to deaths in custody, according to Palestinian and Israeli human rights reports.
