Prison security working to contain Palestinian riot in high-security prison

IPS commissioner Yaakobi called Israel's prisons the "eighth front" after Hamas and Fatah threatened to start a war in Israel's prisons.

 Israel Prison Service security officers on the roof of Ofer Security Prison during unrest, February 16, 2025. (photo credit: ISRAEL PRISON SERVICE)
Israel Prison Service security officers on the roof of Ofer Security Prison during unrest, February 16, 2025.
(photo credit: ISRAEL PRISON SERVICE)

A possible riot is underway at Ofer Security Prison in the West Bank, according to an Israel Prison Service statement on Sunday.

The unrest began during a tour of the military wing of the prison when prisoners began knocking on doors and "disrupting order."

Prison security officers were required to use force to break into the cells and restore order.

The IPS said that the incident was still in full swing and had not been resolved.

 Israeli forces stand guard outside military prison Ofer, near Ramallah, in the West Bank, February 8, 2025 (credit: REUTERS/AMMAR AWAD)
Israeli forces stand guard outside military prison Ofer, near Ramallah, in the West Bank, February 8, 2025 (credit: REUTERS/AMMAR AWAD)

A flash point for prisoner releases

Ofer Prison is the central release point for prisoners who are released as part of the hostage-ceasefire deal. 

It serves as one of the IDF's primary prisons and is the only one located within the West Bank.

The prison has been the site of several prisoner abuse cases during the war.

In particular, the death of Dr. Adnan al-Brush, a doctor arrested at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, with several prisoner's rights groups claiming his death was the result of torture.

Hamas officials told Prisons Commissioner Kobi Yaakobi in November, "You will end the war outside; we will start it in prison."

A Fatah official also told Yaakobi, "We will have our Independence Day inside the prison."


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Yaakobi has previously called Israel's prisons the "eighth front," in reference to a common name for the war "The Seven-Front War."

Alon Hachmon contributed to this report.