Ben-Gvir Orders Closure of Prisoner-run Bakeries

Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. (dpa)
Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. (dpa)
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Ben-Gvir Orders Closure of Prisoner-run Bakeries

Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. (dpa)
Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. (dpa)

Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has ordered the closure of bakeries inside the Rimon and Ketziot jails, which provide fresh bread to the inmates.

Israeli media said that Ben-Gvir took this step because the bakeries are run by Palestinian inmates.

Speaking to Israel Hayom, Ben-Gvir said he "went crazy" after he knew about the bakeries.

"Prisoners cannot get such a privilege," he was quoted as saying.

This step follows a series of similar steps taken by Ben-Gvir including the transfer of inmates between prisons, depriving them of privileges, and building new strict departments.

Ben-Gvir also called for the death penalty for Palestinian attackers who killed Israelis.

The Commission for Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs said that the closure of bakeries proves that the occupation "has stripped itself of all humanitarian and ethical morals and values."

This also reflects the occupation’s failure to face the inmates in prisons, the Commission added in its statement.

It continued that the false claims by Ben-Gvir that the “inmates are living in luxury and hotels” are a justification he uses to escalate the war against the inmates.

The rise in tension in the prisons was triggered by raids by the repression units against several departments in Ofer, Naqab, Megiddo, and Damon prisons, assaulting prisoners, isolating dozens, and confiscating their belongings.

Palestinian prisoners started on Tuesday protest steps against the Israeli Prisons Administration, refusing to have breakfast or to undergo "security check". The inmates are exerting pressure on the Administration to back offon its recent measures.

The female prisoners in Damon prison delivered an audio message on Wednesday revealing that they are being tortured by the Israeli Prisons Administration.

There are 4,700 prisoners in Israeli occupation jails, including 29 women and 150 children and minors.



Lebanese Army Warns Israeli Airstrikes Might Force it to Freeze Cooperation with Ceasefire Committee

The rubble of a collapsed building is pictured through a broken window at the site of an overnight Israeli airstrike in the Kafaat neighborhood of Beirut's southern suburbs on June 6, 2025. (Photo by AFP)
The rubble of a collapsed building is pictured through a broken window at the site of an overnight Israeli airstrike in the Kafaat neighborhood of Beirut's southern suburbs on June 6, 2025. (Photo by AFP)
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Lebanese Army Warns Israeli Airstrikes Might Force it to Freeze Cooperation with Ceasefire Committee

The rubble of a collapsed building is pictured through a broken window at the site of an overnight Israeli airstrike in the Kafaat neighborhood of Beirut's southern suburbs on June 6, 2025. (Photo by AFP)
The rubble of a collapsed building is pictured through a broken window at the site of an overnight Israeli airstrike in the Kafaat neighborhood of Beirut's southern suburbs on June 6, 2025. (Photo by AFP)

The Lebanese army condemned Friday Israel’s airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut, warning that it might eventually suspend cooperation with the committee monitoring the truce that ended the Israel-Hezbollah war.

The army statement came hours after the Israeli military struck several buildings in Beirut’s southern suburbs that it said held underground facilities used by Hezbollah for drone production. The strikes, preceded by an Israeli warning to evacuate several buildings, came on the eve of Eid al-Adha.

The Lebanese army said it started coordinating with the committee observing the ceasefire after Israel’s military issued its warning and sent patrols to the areas that were to be struck to search them. It added that Israel rejected the suggestion.

The US-led committee that has been supervising the ceasefire that ended the 14-month Israel-Hezbollah war in November is made up of Lebanon, Israel, France, the US and the UN peacekeeping forces in Lebanon known as UNIFIL.

“The Israeli enemy violations of the deal and its refusal to respond to the committee is weakening the role of the committee and the military,” the Lebanese army said in its statement. It added such attacks by Israel could lead the army to freeze its cooperation with the committee “when it comes to searching posts.”

Since the Israel-Hezbollah war ended, Israel has carried out nearly daily airstrikes on parts of Lebanon targeting Hezbollah operatives. Beirut’s southern suburbs were struck on several occasions since then.

Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Friday that Israel will keep striking Lebanon until it disarms Hezbollah.

"There will be no calm in Beirut, and no order or stability in Lebanon, without security for the State of Israel. Agreements must be honored and if you do not do what is required, we will continue to act, and with great force," Katz said in a statement.