The move follows a proposal by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to deploy crocodiles around prisons holding Palestinian security detainees.
Under the new regulation, oversight of the reptiles will shift from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority to authorized security agencies, including the Israel Prison Service (IPS), allowing them to keep crocodiles under tightly regulated conditions. The declaration stipulates that the animals may only be held by security agencies when deemed necessary for security purposes and under measures designed to prevent their release into the wild.
Ben Gvir welcomed the decision on social media, writing, "Are you thinking of attempting to escape? Think again," alongside an AI-generated image depicting himself holding a crocodile on a leash. "Ministers Ben Gvir and Silman are cooperating and encircling prisons with crocodiles!" the accompanying caption read.
According to Israeli media, Ben Gvir intends to test the concept at Ketziot Prison in southern Israel, which houses many Hamas members captured during the 7 October attack. The proposal was reportedly inspired by US President Donald Trump's "Alligator Alcatraz" immigration detention facility in Florida.
Ben Gvir first suggested using crocodiles in December during a meeting with the head of the Israel Prison Service, according to Channel 13. Prison Service officials subsequently visited a crocodile farm in northern Israel in January as part of preparations for the proposal.
The initiative initially faced legal obstacles because the Nile crocodile was classified as a protected wild animal, restricting its captivity to licensed zoos. To address this, the government revived a legal classification that had existed under Israeli law until 2013, allowing crocodiles to be kept outside zoos under specific conditions. The updated designation is limited exclusively to authorized security agencies and does not restore broader commercial use.
The Israel Prison Service (IPS) has reportedly embraced the proposal and carried out extensive planning, including professional studies and visits to zoos to assess the feasibility of housing crocodiles around prison facilities. According to the service, a system of crocodile-filled moats could strengthen deterrence against escape attempts while reducing long-term security costs.
The proposal was initially met with scepticism. Israeli broadcaster Channel 13 reported that several senior prison officials ridiculed the idea when Ben Gvir first presented it last year, while the Israel Nature and Parks Authority also reportedly opposed the plan.
Israeli news outlet Ynet reported that Silman proceeded with the reclassification despite objections from her ministry's legal adviser and the Nature and Parks Authority.
Ben Gvir, who has criminal convictions, has drawn repeated criticism over his management of Israel's prison system. Since taking office, he has restricted the length of showers permitted for Palestinians held on security charges and banned inmates from operating prison bakeries. Human rights groups have also accused him of overseeing policies that have worsened conditions for Palestinian detainees.
Israeli human rights groups have regularly published reports documenting torture and other abuses against Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
In a report published in January, the rights organization B'Tselem said Israeli prisons "continue to function as a network of torture camps for Palestinians, with the systematic abuse even more extensive than before."
"This includes physical and psychological abuse, inhuman conditions, deliberate starvation, and denial of medical care, all of which have led to numerous deaths," the group added.
According to the latest figures released by the Palestinian Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association (Addameer) on 9 February 2026, 9,300 Palestinians are being held in Israeli prisons on what the organization describes as political grounds.
The organization said 3,358 of those detained are being held under administrative detention, a practice that allows individuals to be imprisoned without charge or trial for renewable periods.
The figures also show that 350 children and 56 women are among the Palestinians currently held in Israeli custody.
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