Israel Extends Prison State of Emergency Amid Severe Overcrowding Crisis

The Israeli government is voting on Monday on a proposal to extend the state of emergency in the prison system for an additional two months, through December 15, due to a severe overcrowding crisis. The proposal, submitted by Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir, will allow the Israel Prison Service to continue holding prisoners and detainees in conditions that violate legal standards, including sleeping without a personal bed. According to recent data from the Israel Prison Service, 13,458 inmates—about 59% of all prisoners in the country—are held in living conditions that fail to meet Supreme Court requirements.

As of October 5, prison facilities hold 22,782 inmates against a formal capacity of 16,300 places, representing an excess of 6,482 prisoners. The occupancy rate across the entire prison system exceeds 100%, requiring the deployment of 4,200 to 4,300 portable beds and mattresses every night. About a quarter of these sleeping arrangements are utilized by criminal prisoners. The crisis is particularly acute regarding security prisoners: out of 9,309 security inmates, 8,420—or 90.5%—were held in conditions failing to meet required living space standards.

Origins and Scale of the Crisis

The emergency state was first declared on October 22, 2023, following mass arrests after the outbreak of the war, and has since been continuously extended. Since the beginning of the conflict, the prison population has grown by 6,429 people. The number of security prisoners surged from 5,238 to 9,309, while criminal prisoners increased from 11,115 to 13,473. The Israel Prison Service emphasizes that the overcrowding crisis began even before October 7, 2023, but escalated significantly due to the ongoing war and subsequent arrests.

"The prison system urgently requires additional capacity, and continued detention of suspects is necessary for security operations," stated Commissioner of Prisons Kobi Yaakobi, recommending the extension.

Despite the release of 3,908 prisoners through various hostage-release deals, the reduction in the inmate population was temporary. Officials noted that the releases were quickly absorbed, and the total inmate count remains almost identical to the beginning of 2025, dropping by just 98 prisoners from 22,880 to 22,782.

Measures and Supreme Court Scrutiny

To mitigate the crisis, the Ministry of National Security and the Israel Prison Service have introduced several measures, including converting public areas in security facilities to add 1,470 places and constructing over 900 new spaces at Ketziot and Ofer. Plans are underway to establish 26 new wings in the Ketziot-Saharonim complex, adding roughly 3,000 prison places, though officials admit current additions fall short of addressing the massive surge.

The Supreme Court has repeatedly criticized these conditions, expressing deep concern in rulings from April and March 2025 over inmates sleeping on floors and the slow pace of systemic solutions. The state is required to submit a further update to the court by October 20, while a petition by the Association for Civil Rights seeking to cancel the emergency regulations remains pending.