Marwan Barghouti's son says family fears for his life in Israeli prison

"We do fear for my father's life, Arab said from Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. Earlier this week, the family told media outlets that they had received testimonies from Palestinian detainees released as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal that Barghouti was beaten by guards in mid-September as he was being transferred between two Israeli prisons. Arab told Al Jazeera that the attack is the fourth time since Israel's war on Gaza began in October 2023 that his father has been assaulted in Israeli detention."

"They are targeting him, said Arab, explaining that Israel sees his father as a danger because of his ability to bring Palestinians together. A prominent member of Fatah, the Palestinian political faction that dominates the Palestinian Authority (PA), which governs limited parts of the occupied West Bank, Barghouti has been in Israeli prison since the early 2000s. He is serving five life sentences plus 40 years on murder and attempted murder charges, which he has consistently denied."

"A Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research poll from May found that Barghouti was the most popular Palestinian leader, garnering more support than Hamas official Khaled Meshaal and PA President Mahmoud Abbas. Palestinians had called for Barghouti to be released as part of the recent Gaza ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, but Israel refused to free him. As part of the deal, Israel released 250 Palestinians serving life sentences, several of whom were sent into exile abroad."

Arab Barghouti says his father, Marwan Barghouti, was beaten by Israeli guards during a mid-September transfer between prisons and that family testimony links released detainees to the incident. Arab says the reported attack is the fourth assault on his father since October 2023. Barghouti is a senior Fatah figure who has been imprisoned since the early 2000s and is serving five life sentences plus 40 years on charges he denies. A May poll found him the most popular Palestinian leader. Palestinians sought his release in the Gaza ceasefire, but Israel refused to free him.

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