Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has directed the country ministers of Finance, Defence and National Security to expand the prison space in Israel to accommodate more inmates expected to be taken from Gaza, Judea and Samaria.

The Prime Minister issued the directive during the week while having inter ministerial discussion on the issue of shortage of prison space for prisoners.

The meeting reported by the office of the Prime Minister indicated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “at the Kirya in Tel Aviv, held an inter-ministerial security discussion on the issue of the shortage of prison space for security prisoners. The Prime Minister directed the Finance, Defense and National Security ministries to urgently prepare thousands of spaces for new detainees and prisoners.

The directive was issued following a discussion during which the IDF and the ISA presented their assessment that during 2024, thousands of terrorists will be arrested in Gaza and in Judea and Samaria. Since the outbreak of the war, approximately 4,000 terrorists have been arrested, most of them in Gaza, creating an urgent need to prepare for the intake of many more detainees and prisoners.

At the discussion, the Israel Prison Service presented its plans for the intake, based on the preparation of new short- and intermediate-term systems. Prime Minister Netanyahu approved the plan and directed that it be put into operation immediately”

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister office also reported that: “At the Directive of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Foreign Affairs Israel Katz: Special Delegation of Hostages’ Families to Depart for the UN Security Council Discussion in New York.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, spoke with Minister of Foreign Affairs Israel Katz and wished him success ahead of his trip to New York  for the UN Security Council discussion on the findings of the report on Hamas’s severe sex crimes on October 7.

Prime Minister Netanyahu emphasized that the request of the US, Great Britain and France to convene the Security Council immediately is an unprecedented accomplishment that was achieved thanks to the extensive diplomatic efforts led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Katz.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Katz thanked the Prime Minister for his backing and assistance, and consulted with him actions to take in order to advance an official UN declaration that Hamas is a terrorist organization and the imposition of personal sanctions on the leaders of Hamas.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Katz will take with him dozens of family members of hostages being held by Hamas, who will participate in the Security Council discussion and meet with the author of the report, UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict Pramila Patten.

Coordinator for the Hostages and the Missing, Brigadier General Gal Hirsch will accompany the visit.

Prime Minister Netanyahu (said in quotes): “I commend, and wish success to, all members of the delegation in the national effort to release our hostages and in the fight for our Israel’s just position.”

Minister of Foreign Affairs Katz (also stated in quote): “I thank Prime Minister Netanyahu for his backing and assistance. We indeed accomplished an important diplomatic achievement with the immediate convening of the Security Council; however, we are not stopping here. The findings of the report which describe what happened to our women on October 7 is the most severe item that has been tabled in the UN regarding the State of Israel. The religious leadership of Hamas gave orders to murder, rape and desecrate the bodies of our daughters. The hostages’ families will stand beside me in order to remind the UN Secretary General and the entire world: The people of Israel will not tolerate what happened and will not relent until the UN declares Hamas a terrorist organization.”

In another engagement during the week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was interviewed for Politico, which is owned by Axel Springer:

The Prime Minister stated during the interview in quotes that he “don’t know exactly what the president meant, but if he meant by that that I’m pursuing private policies against the majority, the wish of the majority of Israelis, and that this is hurting the interests of Israel, then he’s wrong on both counts.

Number one, these are not my private policies, only. They’re policies supported by the overwhelming majority of the Israelis. They support the action that we’re taking to destroy the remaining terrorist battalions of Hamas. They say that once we destroy the Hamas, the last thing we should do is put in Gaza, in charge of Gaza, the Palestinian Authority that educates its children towards terrorism and pays for terrorism. And they also support my position that says that we should resoundingly reject the attempt to ram down our throats a Palestinian state.

That is something that they agree on. And it’s something that I think is also for the interests of Israel because the majority of Israelis understand that if we don’t do this, what we’ll have is a repetition of the October 7th massacre, which is bad for Israel, bad for the Palestinians, bad for the future of peace in the Middle East. So, the attempt to say that my policies are my private policies that are not supported by most Israelis, is false. The vast majority are united as never before. And they understand what’s good for Israel. They understand what’s important for Israel. And I think they’re right.”