(JNS) Female soldiers will no longer serve as guards in secure prisons after one was suspected of having sex with a convicted Palestinian terrorist.

Israel Prison Service Commissioner Katy Perry and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced the move immediately after news of the sex scandal broke last weekend. 

The long-planned decision had been held up by manpower issues but will be implemented this week.

Over the past year, the guard in question, who is nearing the end of her mandatory service, allegedly established intimate ties with the prisoner, a Fatah member convicted of involvement in a terrorist attack in central Israel that led to the deaths of Israelis.

The Prison Service suspects that a consensual physical interaction occurred between the guard and the prisoner, Ynet reported.

However, the guard's lawyer has denied that his client had a consensual relationship with the prisoner, saying she was threatened into allowing his abusive behaviour.

The women has been arrested and an investigation launched into the incident. The name of the soldier and the inmate serving a life sentence have not been released.

An Israeli court hearing the case ordered that other details including the location of the prison should not be revealed.

The terrorist has been placed in solitary confinement.