Prison cells set ablaze as guards storm Hamas wing
Two lightly wounded in riots that break out in Gilboa Prison after inmates rage over participation of hated Metzada unit in surprise search raid, as guards comb wing in search of hidden cell phones.
An unannounced search in a prison wing for Hamas inmates carried out on Wednesday evening sparked riots that ended with two cells being set on fire.
Hamas prisoners at the Gilboa Prison were angry over the fact the searches were carried out by the elite Metzada unit, which the prisoners accuse of causing the death of an inmate.
Two of the prisoners were lightly wounded in the search carried out by the Metzada unit, one of five Israel Prison Service hostage and rescue units.
Gilboa Prison, near the northern city of Beit She'an, holds 600 terrorists, the majority of whom are affiliated with Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and ISIS.
The terrorists were locked up for carrying out serious crimes against Israel and 95 of the prisoners are serving life sentences. One of them was given 67 life sentences for hostile terrorist activity against Israel.
“There are prisoners here who are considered to be prominent figures in the field of terror,” said the warden of the prison.
In all, Wing 3 of the prison holds 110 Hamas terrorists. The Israel Prison Service decided on an unannounced search of the wing after receiving intelligence that there were cellphones—forbidden in the prisons—hidden inside, which were being used by the prisoners to plan terror activities.
The unexpected operation was planned in total secrecy and most of prison guards were unaware it was about to take place until half an hour before it commenced.
At 8pm, the special prison units of Metzada, Yamar Dror and other units from the northern and central locality in Megiddo Prison, assembled for a pre-operation briefing.
At 10pm they arrived at Gilboa Prison where, at a short distance from the wings, they prepared to storm Wing 3. Firefighters were stationed nearby in anticipation of a possible fire erupting in the riots expected to ensue.
Twenty-three minutes later, the guards stormed the wing, and the prisoners immediately began shouting “Search, search!” in Arabic.
They also vowed revenge, not because of the surprise search, but because the prison services had crossed what is considered a red line by allowing the Metzada unit to participate in the raid. A few hours later, two prison cells were set alight.
“A search operation is part to the norm. This was a surprise operation that was carried out because of information about cell phones in the wing where there are Hamas prisoners,” the warden explained.
“Our goal is to clean the wing of telephones. We prepare with great strength out of concern that riots will break out, as well as resistance to the searches, or that cells will be lit on fire or forces harmed.”
The warden said that he was aware of the anger that Metzada’s participation in the raid may spark. From the prisoners’ point of view, he added, it was an extreme step since they hold the force responsible for the death of a terrorist in Ktzi'ot Prison near Be’er Sheva.
“We are not bothered by them and don’t take into account what they want. We, and we alone, decide everything in order to serve the goals of the Israel Prison Service,” he said.
“Metzada forces are the only ones armed with non-deadly weapons and are skilled in containing cases of serious unrest and riots,” the warden said, justifying the unit’s participation.
After the wing’s inmates were dispersed into other prison following the blazes set in the two cells, the search was expanded and was set to continue throughout the next few days. No phones were discovered in the searches but other contraband items were found.
