A massive manhunt was underway Monday morning after six Palestinian terrorists escaped from a high-security Israeli prison, in what officials described as one of the worst prison breaks in the country's history.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
Large numbers of police forces were called to the area around Gilboa prison, located northwest of Beit Shean, and were searching for the six fugitives with the help of drones and helicopters. The IDF and Shin Bet security agency were also helping search for the suspects, and checkpoints were put up in the area.
Five of the prisoners belonged to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization and one, Zakaria Zubeidi, was a former commander of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a terrorist group affiliated with the Fatah faction.
The six were cellmates and tunneled out of Gilboa prison in northern Israel near the city of Beit Shean. They were reported missing around 4 a.m., but may have fled hours earlier.
After apparently entering the prison's drainage network under the sink in their cell, the men exited through another tunnel into a road on the south side of the prison. According to the Israel Prisons Service, the escapees likely exploited a "structural flaw" in the prison's sewerage system.
Credit: Israel Prisons Service
The six were all in jail for life in connection with deadly attacks against Israelis, and all were considered highly dangerous. Three of them had attempted escape in the past.
An unnamed police source told Channel 12 News the incident appeared to be "one of the gravest incidents" in recent memory.
According to Channel 13 News, Israeli security officials believe the six will attempt to flee to either Jordan or the West Bank city of Jenin. Army Radio said the men appeared to have received some outside help.
The IPS said police received reports about suspicious persons traveling in the area of the prison around 3 a.m, adding the escape began around 1:30 a.m.
The men were spotted walking along the road near the prison at around 3 a.m., prompting at least one civilian to call the police.
"I just passed by the prison and I saw some suspicious people walking around. Maybe you should tell them to do a patrol or something," the man told police, according to a recording of the call that was shared on social media.
Army Radio also said 400 prisoners were being moved as a protective measure against any additional escape attempts.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad praised the escape on Monday morning as a "victory over the occupation."
"This is a great heroic act, which will cause a severe shock to the Israeli security system and will constitute a severe blow to the army and the entire system in Israel," added Daoud Shehab, a spokesman for PIJ.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum cast the escape similarly, saying it shows "that the struggle for freedom with the occupier is continuous and extended, inside prisons. and outside to extract this right."
In Jenin, Zubeidi's hometown and perhaps the home of the other escapees as well, celebratory gunfire was heard Monday morning. Residents handed out coffee and sweets to passersby.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Public Security Minister Omer Barlev, who is responsible for both the IPS and the Israel Police, were both informed of the escape and are in constant contact with the relevant officials, their offices said.
Bennett called it a "grave incident" that required maximum effort by Israel's various security branches.
He said he was receiving constant updates on the prison break, which occurred just hours before Israel was to mark the Jewish New Year.
A photo published by Palestinian media shows the IDs of the six suspected escaped prisoners.
Aside from Zubeidi, the other escapees, all from towns and villages near Jenin, were identified by the IPS as Munadil Nafayat, 26, from Yaabad; Mahmoud and Mohammad al-Arida, both from Arraba; Iham Kahamji, 35, from Kufr Dan; and Yaqoub Qadiri, 49, from Deir al-Basha.
An Israel Police spokesperson said there were not currently any security advisories in place for residents of the area following the incident, but urged them to exercise increased vigilance.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
