Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the Israel Prison Service: "What we have here is not just justice or deterrence, but considerable intelligence and assets that we have used to rescue our hostages. We will achieve the absolute victory while freeing our hostages. This is an effort from which we will not relent."
      
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today (Wednesday, 30 July 2025), visited the Israel Prison Service (IPS) in appreciation for the activity of its guards and wardens both in time of routine and especially since the outbreak of the war.

Also participating in the visit were National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, IPS Commissioner Kobi Yaakobi and members of the IPS senior command, as well as officers and guards.

The Prime Minister was briefed on IPS activity as part of the national security effort, including the intake of thousands of security detainees and prisoners, reinforcement of the ranks, maintaining order inside IPS facilities, and responding to extraordinary challenges in the field.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu [translated from Hebrew]:

"What happened here is that instead of prisons controlling the prisoner, the prisoners ran the prisons. They have their gangs and mafias. There are the heads of the mafia and they imposed their fear and their will on the prisons. Leadership and a change of direction were called for. I commend Minister Ben-Gvir for bringing this about. I commend you, Kobi, for knowing how to implement this wisely, and cleverly as needed, and with vigor and determination as needed.

There has been a major change here in a very short time, according to law, justice and common sense. Only common sense is not always common. Sometimes what the masses deem acceptable is not always what the leaders deem acceptable, and sometimes what the masses – that understand what is necessary – deem acceptable is not acceptable to the, how do you call them? 'Deep' something? This also happens.

Also, a revolutionary idea, that those who determine where the country is going, are those who have been elected by the public. How can this be allowed? Those who believe that the greatest threat to democracy – is democracy. We do not think like this. A majority of the public understands that there is a great distortion here, and it was necessary to break through this thin wall and overcome this obstacle. With united forces, we did so.

We will not go backward. This will not recur. This is important because what we have here is not just justice or deterrence, but considerable intelligence and assets that we have used to rescue our hostages. This effort is almost over, but not quite. We are also fighting to complete the elimination of one of the proxies of the Iranian axis.

We will achieve the absolute victory while freeing our hostages. This is an effort from which we will not relent.

What we are doing here contributes to the iron wall, which ensures the eternity of Israel. The iron cells, the iron-willed guards, you, all of you, make your contributions to ensuring the eternity of our people; for this you have our deep gratitude."