WEST BANK — Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has reportedly suggested establishing a detention centre for Palestinian prisoners that would be surrounded by crocodiles as a deterrent against escape attempts.
According to Channel 13, the idea was raised during a recent briefing with the head of the Israel Prison Service, Kobi Yaakobi, and is currently being reviewed.
The facility is said to be proposed near Hamat Gader, close to the occupied Syrian Golan Heights and the Jordan border, an area that also houses crocodile farms and a zoo.
The proposal surfaces as the Knesset prepares to vote on Ben-Gvir’s proposed legislation to impose the death penalty on Palestinians accused of involvement in attacks on Israel. The bill has already passed its first reading but must clear two more stages.
Human rights groups report that Israel currently holds more than 9,300 Palestinian prisoners, including minors and women, amid allegations of severe abuse and worsening detention conditions.
They also warn that conditions have deteriorated further since the escalation of Israel’s offensive in Gaza.