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Since the onset of the war on October 7, 2,600 terrorists have been detained, the majority from the West Bank and several hundred from Gaza, including members of Hamas's elite Nukhba force. The current total number of detainees held by the Israel Prison Service (IPS) stands at 7,254.
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Head of the Israel Prison Service Chief Commissioner Katy Perry said that since the war, a "new and more restrictive policy," has been taken toward security prisoners held in Israeli prisons.
"There's no going back," clarifies Perry. "I am engaging in discussions with security officials, and the stance we are taking at the IPS is to hold security prisoners entirely differently from the past." Perry also addressed the living conditions of the Nukhba force terrorists held in Israel, saying, "They are held 4-8 in a cell, locked there all day. They are defined as the most dangerous detainees in the IPS system. We have processed dozens of Nukhba terrorists. At this stage, they are isolated and receive only basic conditions."
Regarding the possibility of a prisoner release in exchange for hostages, she said, "It is not a term on the table; some are dealing with the issue. Let's hope everyone returns home."
According to an IPS official, special preparations have been made for holding Nukhba terrorists. "We are studying them and their capabilities," he said. "We provided specific training for the wardens and officers who lead and work with the detainees in the cells where the terrorists are held. They arrive at IPS facilities after being interrogated by various security agencies and are classified as high-risk individuals for assaulting prison staff."