Even without beds: The Knesset approved extending the emergency situation in prisons

The National Security Committee approved extending the prison emergency situation until December 15, allowing inmates to be housed even without beds. Israel Prison Service data reveals 22,877 prisoners, an increase of 6,524 since the war began, and a shortage of approximately 2,000 prison guards. Committee Chairman MK Zvika Fogel called for a comprehensive solution and no further extensions.

The Knesset's National Security Committee approved today (Tuesday) extending the prison emergency situation until December 15, 2026. The extension allows the Israel Prison Service to house detainees and prisoners in violation of living space regulations, and even to house them without beds, in order to continue admitting detainees to facilities. Committee Chairman MK Zvika Fogel said the emergency situation is meant to address the crisis and is not a substitute for a comprehensive solution, and asked how overcrowding affects prison guards and the rehabilitation of criminal prisoners. According to Israel Prison Service data, the inmate population stands at 22,877 – 13,620 criminal and 9,257 security prisoners – an increase of 6,524 inmates since the war began. It also shows that the standard for prison guards is 13,084, of which 11,000 are staffed – a gap of about 2,000 guards. Representatives of the Israel Prison Service and the Ministry of Finance presented measures to expand living space, including releasing 1,025 prisoners on special leave and completing the construction of new wings with approximately 3,000 prison places. The committee also discussed alternatives to incarceration, including electronic monitoring and house arrest, which have not yet advanced legislatively.