Armed Fugitive Arrested After Hours-Long Search Near Kfar Qara

An armed suspect who fled from an olive grove near Kfar Qara was arrested Friday after an extensive manhunt lasting several hours. The 18-year-old suspect, a resident of Muqeible known to police, was apprehended with the guidance of the Shin Bet security agency following large-scale searches involving police, Border Police, and helicopters.

An M16 rifle was discovered concealed in the ground near the arrest location. The suspect has been transferred for interrogation, and the background of the incident is still under investigation.

The incident began earlier Friday when police received a report of a suspicious, armed individual in an olive grove. Police forces, Border Police, and volunteer emergency response teams launched a wide-ranging search, with initial suspicions that the event might have security implications.

According to reports, two civilians, including an MDA medic, initially thought the man lying in the grove, wearing khaki uniforms with his face covered, was an injured soldier. After attempting to rouse him for several minutes, the man awoke, became startled, grabbed a weapon beside him, and fled. The civilians then alerted MDA, but the suspect had disappeared by the time emergency teams arrived.

During the search, there was also suspicion of an explosive device. A bag containing an object believed to be a bomb was found near where the suspect fled, though it remains unclear if it was real or a dummy, or if it is connected to the suspect.