Israeli prosecutors have filed an indictment against 12 Israel Prison Service personnel over the death of Palestinian security prisoner Thaer Abu Asab and the alleged assault of eight other inmates at Ketziot Prison in southern Israel.
The indictment, filed with the Be'er Sheva District Court by attorney Tal Cohen Adir of the Southern District Prosecutor’s Office, charges all 12 defendants with reckless homicide, aggravated serious bodily harm and multiple counts of aggravated assault causing actual bodily harm.
Ketziot Prison
(Photo: Ziv Koren)
According to the indictment, one of the defendants was serving as the shift commander in the prison wing where the inmates were being held in November 2023 and was responsible for conducting prisoner counts. The other defendants served as prison guards, members of the Israel Prison Service’s Keter unit and a dog handler.
Prosecutors said that on the afternoon of November 18, 2023, Abu Asab asked the shift sergeant whether there was a “hudna,” or truce, in the war. His remark was relayed to the shift commander.
Before the evening prisoner count, the shift commander allegedly briefed the force about Abu Asab’s question and instructed the defendants to enter the cell during the count, an unusual move that prosecutors said was intended to demonstrate to the prisoners that there was no ceasefire.
According to the indictment, the commander told the officers that he would take responsibility for whatever happened. He also allegedly warned female prison officers who were present at the briefing not to enter the cell so that they would not be harmed.
The commander then led the force to the cell where Abu Asab and eight other inmates were being held. After beginning the prisoner count, he allegedly ordered the defendants to enter.
Prosecutors accuse the officers of acting together to beat and injure the inmates, using punches and kicks, with some also striking them with batons. The shift commander allegedly directed the assault and personally struck one or more prisoners.
After several minutes, the commander ordered the force to stop, according to the indictment. The officers then left the cell without reporting the alleged assault or any unusual incident during the prisoner count.
Abu Asab collapsed shortly afterward and lost consciousness. He was taken first to the prison clinic and later to Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva, where he was pronounced dead.
According to prosecutors, Abu Asab died as a result of the blows he sustained, which caused severe injuries to his heart and respiratory system. The eight other inmates suffered significant injuries.
A separate count charges the shift commander and shift sergeant with obstruction of an investigation.
Prosecutors allege that after police opened an investigation, the shift sergeant instructed one of the guards to lie during questioning about the use of batons.
The shift commander is accused of using another guard, after he had already been questioned, to ask a female prison officer who had not yet been interviewed to coordinate her account with those of the defendants.
According to the indictment, the officer initially gave investigators a false account but later admitted that she had lied and provided her version of what happened.
All 12 defendants are charged with reckless homicide, aggravated serious bodily harm and multiple aggravated assault offenses. The shift commander and shift sergeant additionally face charges of obstruction of an investigation.