In a move that has drawn significant attention, Israeli Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman has officially reclassified Nile crocodiles from protected wild animals to "captive-bred wildlife." This administrative change allows the reptiles to be kept by security agencies, effectively paving the way for National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s controversial proposal to use the animals as a deterrent against prison escapes. Ben Gvir, who previously suggested surrounding detention facilities with crocodiles, celebrated the regulation by posting an AI-generated image of himself alongside a crocodile on social media, warning potential escapees to reconsider their plans.

The new regulations mandate that these animals must be managed under strict conditions overseen by the Nature and Parks Authority to ensure they cannot escape into the wild. Reports indicate that Ben Gvir is particularly interested in deploying these crocodiles around Ketziot prison, which currently houses a large number of Hamas militants captured following the October 7 conflict. While the proposal was initially met with skepticism and internal ridicule among some prison officials when it was first introduced, the legislative change signals a firm shift toward implementing these unconventional security measures as part of an effort to tighten control over high-security detention facilities.