National Security Minister, MK Itamar Ben-Gvir, visited today (Tuesday) the Misgav unit of the Israel Prison Service, on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
The unit operates under the command of Deputy Commander Shlomi Cohen and was established in August 2024 at Ben-Gvir's initiative. The National Security Ministry claims it constitutes a revolution in the protection of women in the cycle of violence.
The unit provides courts with a new tool for real-time technological monitoring of men assessed as dangerous. Monitoring is carried out according to strict criteria and professional assessments, and enables an immediate response to any violation of a protection order.
The system includes an annual budget of NIS 39 million for 2023-2027, for the operation of up to 200 monitoring devices. The unit operates in cooperation with eight government ministries, integrating advanced technology, a dedicated police team, and an operational response around the clock.
According to data from the Israel Prison Service, 28 monitored individuals are under surveillance out of 42 since the establishment of the unit. So far, about 1,500 alerts have been generated, many of which helped prevent actual harm. In addition, 186 monitoring violations were detected, and 55 incidents were handled with the assistance of operational patrols.
According to Cohen, the unit is effecting a fundamental change: "Technological monitoring saves lives and restores security to women who lived for years under threat."
Alongside Ben-Gvir, the tour was also attended by Knesset Deputy Speaker MK Limor Son Har-Melech, the ministry's director-general, Rafael Enge,l and the unit's commanders. During the visit the minister received an operational briefing, heard testimonies from the field, and said, "We established the Misgav unit so that a threatened woman will not be alone. The unit operates resolutely, around the clock, and saves lives. We will continue to strengthen it and save lives."
Minister Ben-Gvir concluded, "The Misgav unit is a real revolution in the protection of women and children. We established it so that no threatened woman will remain alone even for a moment. I see up close how the officers work, the determination, the advanced technology, and the lifesaving in practice - and it fills me with pride. We will continue to expand, strengthen, and deepen the our capabilities, because women's lives are not to be left unprotected."
Son Har-Melech said, "We were exposed to a wonderful unit, operating with immense professionalism and in an unprecedented manner, against domestic violence. On the tour, we were exposed to the minimal numbers of monitoring requests that the courts approve and we will examine how this can be changed, including through judges' visits to the unit. Violence against women cannot be a political or sectoral issue, and I regret that there are those who turn it into one. I thank National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir for opening the unit, allocating the resources, and the close monitoring of its activity."