Israeli guards shot jailed Palestinian leader with rubber bullet
Relatives allege veteran Fatah leader was denied medical treatment after latest abuse as Israel rejects accusations and Arab League calls for international inquiry
RAMALLAH, Palestine (MNTV) — The family of imprisoned Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti has accused Israeli prison guards of shooting him in the leg with a rubber bullet and leaving him without medical treatment, describing the incident as part of an ongoing pattern of abuse against one of Palestine’s most prominent political figures.
Barghouti’s wife, Fadwa Barghouti, said an Israeli prison guard fired a rubber bullet at her husband during an incident last week, causing a bleeding leg injury.
She described the shooting as another episode in what she said were repeated assaults against the 67-year-old Fatah leader during his imprisonment.
Barghouti’s son, Arab Barghouti, said the family learned of the incident through his father’s lawyer after a recent prison visit.
He said the shooting took place at Ganot Prison in Israel’s Negev Desert and alleged that Israeli authorities failed to provide Barghouti with medical treatment despite his injury.
In a letter to the Israel Prison Service, Barghouti’s lawyer, prominent Israeli human rights attorney Avigdor Feldman, said his client reported that he had been shot in the leg during the incident. AFP reviewed a copy of the letter.
The Israel Prison Service denied the allegations, calling them false and insisting that its operations comply with Israeli law and judicial oversight.
The reported shooting follows earlier allegations of mistreatment. In October 2025, Barghouti’s family said Israeli prison guards severely beat him during a prison transfer, leaving him with four broken ribs and head injuries.
Months earlier, footage circulated on social media appeared to show Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir confronting and threatening a visibly weakened Barghouti inside prison.
The latest allegations have prompted renewed international concern. On Sunday, the Arab League called for the establishment of an independent international commission of inquiry to investigate what it described as repeated assaults against the imprisoned Palestinian leader.
Barghouti has been held in Israeli prisons since his arrest in 2002 and is serving multiple life sentences imposed by Israeli courts over his alleged role in attacks during the Second Intifada.
Palestinians widely regard him as a national leader and symbol of resistance.
Despite spending more than two decades in Israeli custody, Barghouti was re-elected this year to Fatah’s Central Committee, receiving the highest number of votes among party candidates, underscoring his continued popularity within the Palestinian political movement.
Human rights organizations have repeatedly raised concerns over conditions in Israeli prisons, particularly following the start of Israel’s war on Gaza, documenting allegations of torture, medical neglect, arbitrary punishment and physical abuse of Palestinian detainees.
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
