Two prison guards have been taken to Soroka Medical Center in Be’er Sheva after two Hamas terrorists launched an attack in the Ketziot Security Prison in southern Israel late Sunday night.
One of the guards, an officer and shift leader at the prison, was seriously hurt when he was stabbed with a shiv to the neck. He was transported to Soroka via medivac helicopter.
The second guard sustained a less serious wound to the shoulder. He was treated and returned to active duty, according to an IPS spokesperson.
Eleven security prisoners were injured; eight of the wounded were evacuated via two helicopters to Soroka Medical Center. Two are reported in very serious condition, with the rest ranging from fair to good condition.
Ketziot was reported back under complete IPS control within the hour, according to IPS spokesperson Yochi Cohen. Police also sent reinforcements to all Israel Prisons where terrorists are incarcerated.
“The attack on our prison guards at Ketziot Prison by Hamas terrorists is very serious and proves once again that the Prison Service is currently at the forefront of the fight against terrorism,” Public Security and Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan said in a statement close to midnight, following the incident.
“We will continue to fight terror even within the prisons and to prevent the orchestration of terror attacks from within the prison against Israeli citizens. These attacks will not deter us from activating the barriers that prevent terror, and they only further illustrate the importance of the project,” he said.
“I send my wishes for a complete and speedy recovery to the injured IPS fighters, and strengthen the guards who act with resolution resolutely against the terrorists.”
The violence erupted Sunday night while Hamas prisoners were being transferred from one security wing to another. They attacked the guards during the transfer, according to the report, sparking clashes between guards and inmates in other wings as well.
It’s not yet clear how the attacks were coordinated nor whether they were linked to Hamas supervising from Gaza.