Court orders review of how Oct. 7 terrorists are treated as tensions rise over judicial oversight.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir launched a sharp rebuke against Israel’s Supreme Court on Thursday after it issued a conditional order demanding an explanation for prison conditions of Hamas Nukhba Force terrorists, intensifying the debate over judicial oversight during wartime.
The Supreme Court, sitting as the High Court of Justice and responding to a petition from the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), questioned the provision of “basic food” to security prisoners, citing reports of “significant weight loss” among detainees. The ruling prompted immediate pushback from government officials and right-wing organizations.
“The Supreme Court has become the guardian of these Nukhba scoundrels who slaughtered, raped, burned and kidnapped our sons and daughters,” Ben-Gvir declared. He emphasized that under his leadership, the Israel Prison Service provides minimum legally mandated conditions for terrorists, marking an end to what he termed “the era of feasts.”