The struggle of veteran freedom fighter, and prominent leader of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Movement, Marwan Barghouti, came back to the fore this week after his family had received an anonymous “intimidating” call, claiming that he was subjected to systematic brutal torture and abuse by his jailors.

Barghouti’s son, Qassam, wrote in a Facebook post on Friday, December 5:

“I woke up this morning to a phone call from a released prisoner, who told me: your father was physically destroyed; they broke his teeth, kept beating him, cut off part of his ear, and broke his fingers just for fun.”

“What should I do? Who should I talk to? To whom should we turn? We are living with this nightmare daily… Oh God, have mercy. My father is now 66 years old. Oh God, where do we find the strength?” Qassam added.

Barghouti’s son clarified in another post hours later that he and his family were not able to reach out to the unnamed freed prisoner, who informed them about his father’s condition:

“We are still trying to reach the released prisoner who contacted me this morning, but we have not yet been able to. We have contacted all possible official and legal authorities to help us obtain any information, but we have not been able to do so either. I apologize for causing concern to many of my loved ones due to my emotional reaction to the call. I hope my father and all the prisoners are well; that is all that matters to us.”

Israel is seemingly trying to end Barghouti’s life

The incident was perceived by many as an attempt to end Marwan Barghouti’s life, especially after the Trump administration had brought forward a proposal in October, suggesting the release of the consensual Palestinian political leader, so he would rule post-war Gaza.

The proposal had already provoked the ire of Israeli officials, above all Israel’s Minister for National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has unleashed an unprecedented crackdown against the Palestinian Prisoners’ Movement since January 2023.

Even before the US government put forward the suggestion, Ben-Gvir had intentionally targeted Barghouti, in particular, by releasing a video, showing him threatening the iconic Palestinian national figure inside his jail in August.

Barghouti’s condition sparked an international outcry

In response to the new development regarding Marwan Barghouti’s condition in Israeli prison, more than 200 public figures from different nationalities over the globe joined an international campaign calling for his release.

“We express our grave concern at the continuing imprisonment of Marwan Barghouti, his violent mistreatment and denial of legal rights whilst imprisoned. We call upon the United Nations and the Governments of the World to actively seek the release of Marwan Barghouti from Israeli prison,” the statement reads.

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