An Israeli court has intervened to stop a controversial security initiative proposed by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, which involved placing crocodiles in moats surrounding prisons where Palestinian inmates are held. Reports indicate that authorities had already commenced excavation work for trenches at the Ketziot Prison, located in the Negev desert, to facilitate the plan.

The judicial injunction effectively halts the project, which was being spearheaded by Ben Gvir and supported by the National Security Ministry and the Israel Prison Service. While the plan drew significant attention due to its unusual nature and the context of the prison population, the court's decision to block the initiative was specifically grounded in concerns regarding animal welfare. The court did not address the potential impact of the moats on the human rights or treatment of the Palestinian prisoners held at the facility.