Israel just took a big step towards deploying Nile crocodiles against imprisoned Palestinians.
The scheme is the brainchild of Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who believes surrounding prisons with crocodiles will intimidate, scare, and eat alive any Palestinians who dare to escape.
Ben Gvir reportedly teased the idea on Facebook with a post in which he said, “Cursed terrorist, are you thinking of trying to escape? Think twice.” accompanied by an AI-generated image of him holding a crocodile on a leash. This was reportedly followed by a trip to the newly opened crocodile farm in northern Israel, where the animals are being bred.
“They will try anything before trying justice and peace”
Now this plan appears to be moving forward. As reported by Deutsche Welle, Israel’s Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman has now approved a regulatory change reclassifying Nile crocodiles from “wild animals” to “captive-bred wildlife” or “specially managed wild animals.”
This would allow Israel’s security agencies, including the Prison Service (which is under Ben-Gvir), to keep and use the crocodiles in perimeter areas of moats around the prison.
Middle East Eye quotes Orly Noy, the chair of Israeli human rights organisation B’Tselem, as saying that this plan is “another grotesque example of the cannibal stage in which Israel is at right now”.
He continued:
“For decades, Israel has been digging trenches and building walls and fences and gates, yet people’s sense of security is still deteriorating. They will try anything before trying justice and peace. One can only wonder what will be the next stage after this. The only thing left is just plain shooting at people in daylight in the streets. I don’t think that there is much left besides that right now.”
Even within the Israeli government there’s concern about this plan. Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority spoke out against Ben-Gvir’s plan when it was announced earlier this year, saying, “Wild animals should be kept only for research and educational reasons” and warning of “significant risks” to the public, citing incidents in which crocodiles escaped into the wild.
Ben-Gvir’s proposal drew quick comparison to the Trump administration’s infamous “Alligator Alcatraz”. This much-hyped detention facility for immigrants in Florida’s Big Cypress National Preserve used the park’s wildlife to discourage escape.
Despite the massive cost and publicity, the facility was active only from July 2025 to June 2026, after which high operating costs made it unworkable. Estimates are that by the time the facility was closed, $1.2 billion had been spent on its construction and operation.
Published: Jul 21, 2026 07:42 am