Freed hostage says Ben Gvir’s comments led to terrorists beating them unconscious with whips

Comments made by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir about Palestinian prisoners led Hamas to worsen the conditions of the hostages in Gaza, including beating them with horse whips until they were unconscious, Channel 12 news reports, citing comments by a hostage released earlier this week.

“We were subjected to severe abuse every time Ben Gvir spoke out about the [Palestinian] prisoners,” the unnamed former hostage reportedly says.

“Once he talked about food and they locked us in a cage and said we could eat one date and drink salt water,” the freed hostage says.

“Once after he spoke on television, some terrorists came in with horse whips and beat us until some of us lost consciousness,” the former hostage says.

Earlier this year, released hostages also said that Ben Gvir’s behavior led to a worsening of the conditions in which they were held.

Channel 12 notes that defense officials warned Ben Gvir on a number of occasions that his words and actions to worsen the conditions of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails could lead to the further mistreatment of those held in Gaza.