…
World
Israel: New Law Permits Nile Crocodiles for Prison Security; Ben Gvir Plans Deployment
Herz — World Desk · · 30s summary · 3 min read
The essentials
An Israeli regulation that took effect Wednesday permits security entities to breed Nile crocodiles, potentially for use as prison security devices. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has proposed surrounding prisons housing Palestinian detainees with crocodiles, particularly at Ketziot Prison in southern Israel. The measure, signed by Environment Minister Idit Silman, transfers supervision of the animals from Israel's Nature and Parks Authority to security services—including the prison service that Ben Gvir directly oversees. The Authority opposes the plan.
- An Israeli law effective Wednesday permits security entities to breed Nile crocodiles
- Ben Gvir proposes surrounding prisons holding Palestinian detainees with crocodiles
- The regulation transfers crocodile oversight to the prison service under Ben Gvir's control
- Ketziot Prison in southern Israel is the primary target site being considered
- Israel's Nature and Parks Authority opposes the proposal
What We Know
Israel's Environment Minister, Idit Silman, has reclassified Nile crocodiles: they shift from the category of "wild animals" to "captive-bred wildlife." The regulation took effect Wednesday.
The measure permits security entities to breed Nile crocodiles, provided they are maintained under conditions preventing release into the wild and after ministerial verification of the security necessity for their possession.
According to ANSA news agency, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has announced plans to surround prisons holding Palestinian detainees with crocodiles. He posted on Facebook an AI-generated image showing him holding a crocodile on a leash.
Ministers Ben Gvir and Silman are collaborating to surround prisons with crocodiles!
— Itamar Ben Gvir, on his Facebook page
The reclassification transfers crocodile oversight from Israel's Nature and Parks Authority—the public agency responsible for the country's national parks and nature reserves—to security entities. The Israeli prison service, which Ben Gvir heads as National Security Minister, falls within this category, granting him direct control over these animals.
The American Reference: 'Alligator Alcatraz'
Ben Gvir says he is modeling his proposal after the South Florida Detention Facility, nicknamed "Alligator Alcatraz"—an immigrant detention center built in a defunct airport within Big Cypress National Reserve in the Everglades, Florida, announced in June 2025 and funded at $608 million. In December 2025, Amnesty International concluded that its detention conditions constituted torture.
The Targeted Prison
Ben Gvir is primarily targeting Ketziot Prison in southern Israel. This penal facility houses numerous Hamas activists captured after the October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the Gaza conflict, which continues to the present.
Opposition and Initial Reactions
According to Israeli television channel Channel 13, Israel's Nature and Parks Authority has opposed the proposal.
The same source reports that when Ben Gvir previously proposed this idea the year before, it was initially "met with ridicule by several officials" from the Israeli prison service.
What Remains Uncertain
No available information clarifies whether crocodiles are already being held or are in the process of being acquired by Israeli authorities. It remains unclear whether and when this measure would actually be implemented. The official position of the broader Israeli government on this project remains unknown at this stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Topics
Related articles
Latest articles
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to react.
