Israeli official tells Ben-Gvir his rhetoric is putting Gaza captives' lives in danger, as anti-war protests grow in Tel Aviv

Israel’s hostage coordinator has warned far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir that his inflammatory rhetoric was endangering the lives of captives still held in Gaza.

Gal Hirsch called on Ben-Gvir to soften his rhetoric, especially after a video surfaced of him barging into the cell of Palestinian leader and prisoner Marwan Barghouti, where he appeared to threaten him.

Ben-Gvir, who is known for his genocidal remarks against Palestinians, was accompanied by the Israeli Prison Service Commissioner, Kobi Yaakoobi.

The video, posted on Instagram followed by other social media platforms, showed Ben-Gvir saying: "You won't win. Whoever messes with the people of Israel, whoever murders our children, whoever murders our women – we will erase him. You should know this throughout history."

According to Hebrew media, Hirsch also raised the issue with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

A conversation between Hirsch and Ben-Gvir on the issue was reportedly "lengthy and tense", with the pair agreeing they would meet again to discuss the conversation in greater detail.

The latest development comes after freed Israeli hostages said that Ben-Gvir’s remarks would likely result in the worsening treatment for captives still held by Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza.

Ben-Gvir dismissed the comments before doubling down on them, and saying: "Not only do I not apologise, I’m proud of what I did." He went on to accuse the media of "echoing Hamas propaganda".

One captive had told Israeli media that intensified Israeli strikes had led his Hamas captors to beat him.

In one instance, the captive said his captor allegedly hit him after finding out that an Israeli airstrike targeted and destroyed his home.

Eli Sharabi, who was released on 8 February, told Channel 12’s Uvda programme that captors regularly followed the news and monitored the condition of Palestinian prisoners.

"Every irresponsible statement, we’re the first ones to suffer [the consequences]," Sharabi told the media.

"They come to us and tell us, 'They aren’t giving our prisoners food, you won't eat. They're beating our prisoners, we’ll beat you. They aren’t letting them shower, you won’t get to shower'," he continued.

Ben-Gvir has previously pushed for certain items to be removed from Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, including pita bread, and called for shower times to be limited.

Following the outbreak of the war on Gaza, he instructed that beds be removed, causing overcrowding in cells.

Anti-war protests grow

Meanwhile, according to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, The New Arab’s Arabic language sister publication, anti-war protests in Tel Aviv have grown in recent days.

Reports state that around 400,000 people gathered in Tel Aviv. Israeli opposition leader, Yair Lapid, reportedly addressed a post to US President Donald Trump, which read: "The people of Israel spoke last night. Supporting Israel means supporting a deal to return the kidnapped soldiers."

However, Israeli government officials downplayed the demonstrations. Ben-Gvir claimed that the protest had "failed" adding that they "weaken the state of Israel and do not bring us any closer to returning the hostages".

Sunday saw thousands of people in Israel also take part in a general strike, with many calling for Israel to halt its plans to occupy Gaza City.

The participants shut down major facilities and companies, saying that authorities had disregarded the suffering of captives and their families.

The Hebrew Channel 12 reported that clashes erupted between some demonstrators and police in Tel Aviv, after people set fires near the Likud headquarters.

Israeli figures estimate that there are 50 captives still held in Gaza, with 20 of them alive. Meanwhile, over 10,800 Palestinians languish in Israeli prisons, including children and those who have not had proper charges or trials, and continue to face medical neglect, torture and hunger.

Israel’s war on Gaza has killed over 61,800 Palestinians since October 2023, with the leading rights group Amnesty International determining the war to be a genocide.