Jerusalem / Anadolu

The Hebrew daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported Wednesday that Israeli authorities have begun digging crocodile trenches around a wing in Ktzi'ot prison that holds Hamas members, despite legal and environmental objections to the project.

The newspaper added that digging of trenches designated for holding crocodiles around a high-security wing in Ktzi'ot prison in southern Israel began Wednesday, noting they will extend about 170 meters.

It quoted a official in the Ramat Negev Regional Council, where the prison is located, as saying: "The trenches are being dug inside the prison around one of its special wings and cannot be seen from outside the prison."

The official, who the newspaper did not name, added: "No one knows if crocodiles will actually be placed there, but preparations are underway."

The newspaper also quoted the Israeli National Security Ministry as saying that construction of the crocodile channels has begun.

It said the project came after a decision last week by Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman to classify the Nile crocodile as a "domesticated wild animal," despite opposition from specialist officials in her ministry.

Quoting the office of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, the newspaper said Silman's decision "paved the way for the project," adding that "the experimental phase of the crocodile prison has officially begun in one of the wings of Ktzi'ot prison."

Ben Gvir's office, headed by the leader of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, added: "Anyone who thought this was just a trick was wrong."

It noted that the Israel Prison Service prepared a plan for the care, supervision and housing of the crocodiles, and prison officers received training in handling them, while 21 million shekels ($6.3 million) were allocated for the project.

Israel has arrested hundreds of Palestinians since October 7, 2023, allegedly belonging to the "elite" unit of the military wing of Hamas, and intends to try them in special courts.

Ben Gvir previously released video footage of the special wing in Ktzi'ot prison to show strict detention conditions, including preventing detainees from leaving the wing, depriving them of blankets and food, and forcing them to sleep on iron sheets.

He also repeatedly broadcast the Israeli national anthem over loudspeakers and hung pictures of destruction in Gaza on the prison walls.

The project has sparked legal and environmental controversy in Israel since its announcement, amid warnings from experts and officials about the lack of legal and professional basis for using crocodiles in prison security.

The newspaper added that the Nature and Parks Authority held an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday to discuss the use of crocodiles in prisons, and all participants opposed the proposal.

The newspaper explained that Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman's decision to classify the Nile crocodile as a "domesticated wild animal" went against the opinion of the legal adviser of her ministry and the professional position of the Nature and Parks Authority.

Experts warned that there is no precedent or professional basis for using crocodiles in prison security, and that the project may conflict with current law.

The newspaper quoted the Nature and Parks Authority as saying: "Keeping these wild animals is legally permissible only for educational, research or public awareness purposes."

It said: "The purpose of the request to classify the Nile crocodile as a domestic wild animal was to find a legal pathway for the plan, and crocodiles had previously been classified under this classification for commercial farming for their skins."

Yedioth Ahronoth added: "But this policy was later canceled after recurrent problems, including crocodile escapes and concerns about them entering the wild and endangering the public."

The newspaper noted that Israel currently has only a limited number of Nile crocodiles, while the Crocoloco farm in the Negev holds more than 200 crocodiles, but confirmed it has not been contacted to supply the project with animals.

Ktzi'ot prison, located in the Negev desert, is the largest prison in Israel and contains sections dedicated to Palestinian security detainees, and has been used for years to hold detainees from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

According to data from prisoner institutions, the number of detainees in Israeli prisons has risen 83 percent since the start of the genocide war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, exceeding 9,600 prisoners, compared to about 5,250 before the war.