IDF Disputes Police Claim of Tunnel in Qalqilya, Reports Arms Cache

The Israeli military on Thursday disputed a police report claiming the discovery of a tunnel under construction in the West Bank city of Qalqilya. Hours after Israeli police announced finding a "tunnel under excavation" approximately 25 meters deep, the military stated its forces, along with border police and regular police, had found two openings about 12 meters deep. The army reported confiscating an M16 rifle, a hunting rifle, a handgun, and ammunition found near these openings. However, the military explicitly stated that after examining the openings, "the existence of a tunnel path in them was ruled out," and also dismissed the possibility of one of the openings being near the separation barrier. The military's statement, notably, referred to "official and irresponsible statements" made on the matter without identifying the source, directly contradicting the police's earlier announcement. The police had claimed to have found an M16 rifle, a sniper rifle, ammunition, and materials potentially used for explosives.

Simultaneously, the Israeli military announced the arrest of four Palestinians suspected of involvement in "terrorist activity" and stated they are undergoing investigation. The military indicated that its operations in the Qalqilya area are ongoing, with forces searching for additional openings and weapons. This comes amid a significant military presence in and around Qalqilya since Wednesday evening.

Israeli forces continued their raids in Qalqilya and the nearby town of Azzun on Thursday, conducting widespread house searches and detaining dozens of Palestinians for field interrogation. Local sources reported that around 15 military vehicles and over 30 soldiers entered Azzun, raiding homes and detaining over 150 residents for initial questioning before gradually releasing them. The sources also reported soldiers assaulting a Palestinian in his home and firing stun and gas grenades towards residential buildings. In Qalqilya, the military presence intensified overnight, with forces raiding homes and detaining young men. Two Palestinians were injured by live fire during Wednesday evening's raid in Qalqilya, including a 14-year-old boy. The ongoing military operations caused a delay in the start of the school day for private schools and kindergartens in both Qalqilya and Azzun.

These events occur amidst an intensification of Israeli military operations in the northern West Bank, characterized by increased raids, arrests, and searches, coinciding with a rise in settler violence and attacks targeting Palestinians and their property.