Israel Prison Services (IPS) Commissioner Katy Perry dispelled doubts regarding her continuation of the post following the escape of six Palestinian security prisoners from the Gilboa Prison, saying that she will keep her position, Walla reported on Wednesday.
"I am here to continue to lead you," Perry wrote in a letter to all IPS employees following the escape, which saw the escape of six dangerous inmates of the prison in Israel's North.
The incident "is extremely serious," Perry wrote, noting that the IPS is experiencing a difficult and formative event.
"This is a difficult time for all of us, in which we must take a courageous look at what we have done, to explore in-depth the gaps in all aspects and to conduct extensive learning processes," she said, Walla reported.
She added that since they became aware of the escape, the prison has been on a continuous emergency routine. However, she noted that the six prisoners who escaped are "some of the most dangerous people in the world – their past actions have testified to this, and the guiding principle is that they have nothing to lose."
On Wednesday night, IPS planning department head Chezy Markovich defended the IPS' conduct, and stated that "there are a number of reasons and factors" behind the escape, which is being examined "in-depth at all levels," N12 reported.
"Security prisoners are at a high risk of escaping," Markovich said, according to N12. "These security prisoners do everything to plan their escape. It's a battle of the minds between the prisoners and the prison staff. In this case, we lost, but we will emerge stronger."
These comments come amid mounting criticism against the IPS over the prison break.
On Wednesday night, Likud MK Miri Regev said: "A parliamentary inquiry committee should be established to investigate the conduct and incompetence of prisons and prison security, as well as the dismal situation in which Islamic Jihad and other terrorist organizations run some of the prisons in the State of Israel.
"I call on [Prime Minister Naftali] Bennett and [Public Security Minister Omer] Bar Lev, to take responsibility for this failure. And to ensure that the terrorists are captured as soon as possible and that security is restored to the citizens of the State of Israel," she continued.