Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered an urgent directive on Sunday for government ministries to prepare prisons for an influx of thousands of Palestinian terrorists expected to be arrested this year.

The order came after the Israel Defense Forces and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) presented their assessment at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv that in 2024, thousands of terrorists in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip will be detained, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.

Since the start of the current Hamas war on Oct. 7, some 4,000 terrorists, mostly in Gaza, have been arrested.

In the meeting, which was attended by representatives from the Defense, National Security and Finance ministries, the IDF and Shin Bet warned of a lack of space for holding the increasing number of security prisoners as a result of the war against Hamas.

The Israel Prison Service presented its plans for both short-term and medium-term housing of inmates, which Netanyahu approved.

Image - Chaim Goldberg/Flash90