Female soldiers serving in the Israel Prison Service are suspected by authorities of having had intimate relations with a prisoner, Israeli media reported on Friday. 

Later that after noon, Israel Prison Service (IPS) chief Katy Perry and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir held a meeting and announced that women would no longer serve as guards at IPS security prisons.

One soldier was arrested and an investigation has been opened into the suspected incident. A gag order has been placed on some of the details of the case.

The soldier who was arrested is suspected of conducting an intimate relationship with a terrorist during her service as a warden. Additional female prison guards are suspected of conducting intimate relationships with the terrorist inmate too.

The soldier admitted to her actions as part of routine questioning by the Information Security Branch of the Prison Service. The case was transferred to the Prisons Investigation Unit in Lahav 443.

The prisoner in the case is expected to be questioned in the coming days.

A Palestinian prisoner waits to be released from Ketziot prison, southern Israel, October 1, 2007 (credit: RONEN ZVULUN/REUTERS)
A Palestinian prisoner waits to be released from Ketziot prison, southern Israel, October 1, 2007 (credit: RONEN ZVULUN/REUTERS)
Last year, a number of incidents of sexual assault by security prisoners against prison guards were unveiled. In light of the cases, known as the "Pimping Affair," a decision was made to end the service of about 700 female IDF soldiers in the IPS. Since then, the IPS has managed to find new guards to fill most of the vacant positions and the process is expected to be completed within the next year.

Ben-Gvir: Female soldiers urgently need to be removed from prisons

"The shocking report according to which female soldiers allegedly had intimate relations with a security prisoner, is further proof of the necessity and urgency of removing our female soldiers from all security prisoner wings," Ben-Gvir said. "As soon as I took office I stood for this and since then significant steps have been taken on the issue and the presence of female soldiers in the wings has been reduced... By the middle of 2024 there will not be a single female soldier left in security prisoner wings."

Yair Ohayon, the attorney representing the prison guard, said that his client is a victim rather than a willing and consensual participant, and stated, "The very fact that the guard was interrogated with a warning is an absurdity."

"This is a 'relationship' that was forced upon her by threats, as the prisoner left her no choice and actually forced her to be in contact with him," he said.

"At one point when my client begged him to stop his actions and let her go, he threatened to hurt her and her family and destroy her life. She is clearly the victim, and now that the matter has become public, she has suffered a further injustice. I am confident that the truth will come out very soon and that her name will be completely cleared."