Israeli Prison Service head Katy Perry acknowledged on Thursday that the jailbreak in which six Palestinians managed to escape from the high-security Gilboa prison has ‘shaken’ the organization, as the manhunt for the six escapees continued into the fourth day.
In a letter to service members on Thursday, IPS Chief Katy Perry said that the escape from the Gilboa prison on Monday was “staggering” but that she will continue to lead throughout the crisis.
Perry acknowledged that the incident had shaken the organization. She said it was necessary to “investigate in depth” whatever negligence had led to the prison break and implement the takeaways from the findings.
The occupation’s Prison Service announced that all inmates of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad branch of the Gilboa Prison had been dispersed and transferred to jails “in accordance with Perry’s directive” It added that the prisoners will not be returned to the Northern District.
Perry’s directives came as some members of the security establishment called on Public Security Minister Omer Bar Lev to consider firing her. Perry has been serving in her current role for eight months.
Six Palestinian prisoners managed to break out of the high-security Gilboa prison early Monday in what is considered to be among the most serious jailbreaks in the Zionist entity’s history.
Massive manhunt for the six Palestinians ((five Islamic Jihad operatives and one Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade operative) continued into fourth day on Thursday.
Israeli media reported that occupation military, police, and intelligence service units are mobilized, with dozens of roadblocks deployed across the country to reduce the fugitives’ freedom of movement.
“The police, the army and the Shin Bet will not relax their efforts until the fleeing terrorists are caught,” Israeli Security Minister Amar Bar-Lev said on Thursday.
“We are committed to correcting the errors that led to such events. An investigation is underway to identify any negligence or complicity,” he added.
Israeli occupation military on Wednesday said it was boosting its aid to the search efforts, with two battalions, six companies, two recon teams, a number of special forces squads and aerial surveillance teams assisting. The occupation army also announced it was extending its closure of the West Bank on Wednesday night.
The Palestinian Prisoners’ Club said two brothers of Mahmud Ardah, described in local media as the mastermind of the escape, have been arrested.
The occupation army has also taken into custody four other people — fellow family member Dr. Nidal Ardah, along with two brothers of a second escapee and the father of Munadel Infeiat, another member of the six-member group.
All three of these escapees are members of the Islamic Jihad Resistance group.
Source: Israeli media
