Sex offender Alon Kastiel has been released from prison on Monday afternoon, over a year before his prison sentence was set to conclude.
Kastiel had been sentenced to four years and nine months after he was convicted on four counts of sexual assault and attempted rape.
Earlier in the day on Monday, the Nazareth Regional Court denied the prosecution's appeal against his release.
His early release is based on a number of conditions including a ban on his entering Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan and Givatayim. He will only be allowed to enter Jaffa for therapy at specific hours.
"First off, we are aware of the great suffering and pain of the victims to this day and the great distress they are suffering from," was written in the denial of the appeal. "There's no doubt that the actions of the defendant continue to affect the lives of the victims and make their routine more difficult, and we understand their frustration at the feeling that his punishment was too light, so they feel that he should see the sentence through.
"However, the legislature did not exclude the applicability of the Probation Act to sex offenders." The verdict went on to say that Kastiel was being released because he was seen as low risk of committing the same crimes again.
"Kastiel didn't take responsibility, nor did he go through any rehabilitation," Sari Golan, one of the victims, told Kan. "He could have done things differently, and he chose to abuse us to the end."
Israel's Women's Network reacts
"We are sorry about the court's decision to allow relief on the punishment of the serial sex offender and not force the Parole Board to give real consideration to the victims," said Lawyer Einat Fisher Lalow, CEO of Israel's Women's Network.
"Despite the regrettable decision, we are proud of the struggle that the brave complainants led in demanding that their voices be heard. They revealed that a deep change needs to be made in the way the Parole Board makes decisions."