IDF Contradicts Police on Qalqilya Tunnel Discovery

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Thursday that no tunnel was found in shafts discovered near Qalqilya, and that the shafts were not close to the "Seam Zone" (the area between Israel and the West Bank). This directly contradicts an official statement released by the Israel Police the previous evening.

The IDF spokesperson called the police announcement "irresponsible" and denied its claims. The military did confirm that its forces arrested four suspects involved in terrorist activity overnight in the area and seized weapons, including an M-16 rifle, a hunting rifle, a pistol, and ammunition. During the operation, two shafts approximately 12 meters deep were located.

On Wednesday, the police had reported the discovery of a tunnel at least 25 meters deep in Qalqilya. According to the police statement, officers from the Judea and Samaria District's special patrol unit and Border Police fighters conducted a targeted search in the city, locating the tunnel and the beginning of another excavation.