In September 2021, six prisoners escaped from Gilboa Prison, which until then was considered one of Israel's most secure facilities. Following the escape and the ensuing investigative committee, the Israel Prison Service underwent a significant reform, introducing a computerized management system and reinforcing prison security.
As part of these measures, concrete was poured into the underground spaces beneath Gilboa Prison, which had been constructed with foundational piles. The project was expanded to other prisons, including Ganot Prison in southern Israel, where approximately 2,500 inmates are held. At the peak of these efforts, it was revealed that prisoners found another use for these “dead spaces” beneath the cells: hiding mobile phones to maintain contact with the outside world.
Currently led by Israel Prison Service chief Kobi Yaakobi, this extensive effort to fortify cells and fill underground spaces with concrete aims to implement recommendations from the government’s inquiry following the Gilboa escape. The committee discovered that some prisons have open spaces beneath the cells – created when the structures were raised on piles – leaving gaps of several dozen centimeters between the ground and the floor.
The latest security operations uncovered a particularly clever tactic: Prisoners sawed through toilet pipes to stash magnetic pouches containing mobile phones. Using improvised “fishing rods” with magnets on the ends, they would retrieve the phones to communicate outside the prison.
Despite concerns about budget cuts, the Israel Prison Service warns that the proposed reductions could severely hinder their ability to prevent smuggling operations and implement the Gilboa Prison escape committee’s recommendations.
During recent security operations in Ganot Prison, prison staff uncovered over 40 mobile phones hidden under cell floors. Using the new method, prisoners sawed into plumbing pipes, creating hidden compartments for phones and retrieving them with magnetic fishing rods when needed.
Chief Warden Hatem Azam, who leads the project, highlighted the sophistication displayed by the prisoners. “We are facing elaborate tactics, and our actions aim to thwart these attempts and prevent illegal communications. Additionally, we’ve deployed cellular jammers to disrupt any communication. We will continue to detect and seal off these ‘underground cities.’”
Southern District Commander Chief Warden Eran Peer expressed concern over possible budget cuts. “Right at the peak of our fight, the Finance Ministry is considering budget reductions, while we’re uncovering methods that enable security prisoners to communicate from behind bars. National security depends on preventing these smuggling operations. Lives and state security cannot be reduced to a matter of budget.”
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