Ben Gvir Urges Seizing Lebanese Women and Youth as Israel Weighs Wider Lebanon Assault
Updated
Updated · Middle East Eye · Jun 9
Ben Gvir Urges Seizing Lebanese Women and Youth as Israel Weighs Wider Lebanon Assault
3 articles · Updated · Middle East Eye · Jun 9
Summary
At a Tuesday security cabinet meeting, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir urged Israel to detain Lebanese “women and youth” and send them to prisons to pressure Hezbollah.
The proposal came as ministers backed expanding operations in Lebanon, with Yitzhak Wasserlauf pressing for more military funding and Defence Minister Israel Katz calling for even greater armament.
1,316 people are currently held under Israel’s “unlawful combatant” law — including Lebanese civilians, Gazans and Syrians — a system rights groups say enables indefinite detention without charges, court orders or legal access.
Lebanon’s defence minister said Israel has carried out about 3,500 attacks and hundreds of controlled explosions since the 17 April US-announced ceasefire, displacing around 1.2 million people.
Lebanese health authorities say at least 3,637 people have been killed since the assault began in March, including more than 800 after 17 April, while Hezbollah attacks have killed at least 34 Israelis.
As Israeli officials threaten to destroy southern Lebanon, what is the ultimate fate awaiting its 1.2 million displaced people?
With inspectors barred from prisons, how can the world verify escalating claims of systematic torture against detainees?
Ben-Gvir’s June 2026 “Kidnap Plot”: Israel’s Proposal to Detain Lebanese Women and Youth and Its Legal, Political, and Humanitarian Fallout
Overview
On June 9, 2026, during a high-level Israeli security cabinet meeting, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir proposed the abduction and detention of Lebanese women and youth, a move that quickly drew significant attention and was dubbed 'Ben-Gvir's kidnap plot.' This controversial suggestion came as Israeli officials discussed escalating attacks and increasing the defense budget to address ongoing security challenges, particularly struggles against Hezbollah. The proposal highlighted the extreme measures being considered within the cabinet and underscored the tense regional context, exposing the severity of Israel's approach to its conflict with Lebanon.