Israel Builds Crocodile Moat at Ketziot Prison for Hamas Detainees

Israeli authorities are reported to have begun a controversial project, digging a trench intended to house crocodiles around the high-security wing of a prison in the country’s southern region. The prison is known to be a detention site for Hamas members.

According to a report by the daily Yedioth Ahronoth on Wednesday (22 July), the trenches are being dug around Ketziot Prison, stretching roughly 170 metres in length. A local official from the Ramat Negev Regional Council, the area where the prison is located, said the excavation is taking place within the prison grounds around one of the special wings so that it cannot be seen from outside.

“No one knows for certain whether there will actually be crocodiles there, but preparations are under way,” the unnamed official said, as quoted by local media.

Israel’s National Security Ministry confirmed that work has begun on the channel designed for the crocodiles. The project could proceed after Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman decided last week to classify Nile crocodiles as tamed wild animals.

Silman’s decision was taken despite objections from professional officials within her own ministry. The move is seen as the legal basis enabling the use of the predatory reptiles in correctional facilities.

The office of far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said Silman’s decision had paved the way for the project. It confirmed that a pilot phase of the crocodile prison has officially begun in one of the wings of Ketziot Prison.

“Anyone who thinks this is just a bluff or a publicity stunt is wrong,” Ben-Gvir’s office stated.

The Israel Prison Service is reported to have prepared a comprehensive plan for the care, supervision and placement of the crocodiles. Prison officers have even received special training on how to handle the animals.

The project continues under close supervision, sparking debate over the ethics and effectiveness of using wild animals as part of prison security systems. (Middle East Monitor/I-2)