Ben Gvir deletes AI video depicting emaciated Palestinian prisoners after backlash

Ben Gvir had captioned the video with "We promised – we delivered," referencing his campaign pledges to worsen conditions for Palestinian detainees. The imagery immediately drew parallels to the systematic starvation and abuse of prisoners in Nazi concentration camps. US Senator Ruben Gallego was among those who harshly condemned the post, calling for Ben Gvir to be barred from the US.

The controversy emerged as Ben Gvir has increasingly focused on the treatment of Palestinian prisoners. He recently confronted Palestinian women in Israel's Damon prison, boasting about reducing their conditions to the "bare minimum" and stating he was directly responsible for their lack of basic necessities like showers and clean clothes.

This incident follows a pattern of graphic statements and actions by Ben Gvir concerning Palestinians. Last month, he published footage from a construction site he claimed would become an execution facility for Palestinian prisoners, complete with viewing chambers for relatives to watch hangings. He has also advocated for the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners and the resettlement of Gaza by Israelis.

Ben Gvir, formerly an activist in the Kahanist movement, has risen from the political fringe to a key position in the Israeli government, overseeing the police and prison system. His past includes a conviction for incitement to racism and supporting a terrorist organization, and he previously displayed a portrait of Baruch Goldstein, who massacred 29 Palestinians in 1994. Human rights groups like B'Tselem have described Israel's prison system as "torture camps."