After the War, Israel’s Prison System Enters Severe Crisis, Harming Shin Bet Operations
Following the October 7 massacre and the ensuing Iron Swords War, Israel’s prison system has fallen into a severe crisis: the number of security prisoners has doubled to about 10,000, while the Israel Prison Service, or IPS, is short of thousands of detention places, according to a State Comptroller report published Tuesday.
According to the report’s findings, the IPS and the IDF did not prepare for a scenario of a large-scale war, and the shortage of prison space impaired the Shin Bet’s ability to carry out arrests and interrogations. On the eve of the war, the IPS capacity stood at 14,500 places, but 16,200 inmates were actually crammed into them. Since the outbreak of the war until January 2025, another 4,800 security prisoners were incarcerated, bringing the system to a peak of 23,400 inmates, including 10,000 security prisoners.
The severe shortage of prison space directly affected security: the Shin Bet was forced to reduce and cancel planned arrests in Judea and Samaria, which hurt the effectiveness of interrogations. The report also states that in July 2024, 19 security detainees were released, including the director of Shifa Hospital, despite security risk assessments and without Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu being informed or approving the move.
As of February 2026, indictments have not been filed against the terrorists who took part in the October 7 massacre. This stemmed from a joint decision by Netanyahu and Justice Minister Yariv Levin not to advance the proceedings as long as hostages were being held in the Gaza Strip. However, even now, more than half a year after the hostages were released, indictments still have not been filed.
State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman called on the government to declare the expansion of prison capacity a "national emergency project," formulate a long-term estimate together with the IDF, and accelerate legislation of alternatives to imprisonment for criminal prisoners in order to free up space for terrorists. In the report, the comptroller said the prolonged legal process harms deterrence and delays justice for the victims.
The IDF responded to the report that the IPS bears full responsibility. "The Israel Prison Service was defined by the political echelon as the national incarceration organization, and accordingly it bears full responsibility for the prolonged detention of security detainees and prisoners."
"Contrary to what was claimed in the report, the IDF was required, under military orders and an agreement drafted together with the Israel Prison Service, to prepare to hold security detainees only for a short period, and at no stage did it receive any other instruction."
