Police find deep excavation tunnel and arms in West Bank, sparking arrests, alarm

During the search, officers seized an M16 rifle, a sniper rifle, ammunition, and magazines. They also found phones and a substance that police said could be used to prepare explosive devices.

A tunnel at least 25 meters deep that was still under excavation was uncovered in Qalqilya on Wednesday during an operation by Israel Police and Border Police officers, police said. The officers also found the start of another excavation nearby, along with weapons and other equipment. Police arrested four suspects and took them for questioning.

Officers from the Samaria District crime-fighting unit and Border Police discovered the tunnel during a targeted intelligence operation in the West Bank. The officers entered Qalqilya and searched a location identified through intelligence. During the operation, they found the tunnel, which police said reaches a depth of at least 25 meters.

During the search, officers seized an M16 rifle, a sniper rifle, ammunition, and magazines. They also found phones, a DVR device, and fertilizer, a substance that police said could be used to prepare explosive devices. Police arrested four suspects found at the site and took them for further questioning.

Police said operations against such infrastructure would continue.

“Israel Police will continue to act proactively to uncover excavation infrastructure and weapons in the Samaria area, locate those involved and bring them to justice,” police said.

Serious security incident endangering Israeli citizens

The discovery of the tunnel raised concern among heads of local authorities near the seam line. Kfar Saba Mayor Rafi Saar described the incident as “serious” and said it demonstrated what he viewed as the danger facing residents of the area.

“This is not a theoretical warning, this is a security reality that requires determined action,” Saar said.

Drom Hasharon Regional Council head Oshrat Gani Gonen also warned about the significance of the findings.

“A tunnel near Qalqilya is an incident that cannot simply be ignored,” she said. “This is further evidence that the threat to seam-line communities is becoming increasingly established just across the fence.”

Gani Gonen also referred to the weapons and other threats in the area.

'Meters from our homes': Tunnel, drones, weapons

“We are looking at what is happening meters from our homes: a tunnel, drones, weapons, and terrorist infrastructure. As far as we are concerned, every one of these things is the crossing of a red line.”

She said the events of October 7 required a change in the way such threats are addressed.

“No one can afford anymore to close their eyes to incidents like these, minimize them or settle for saying that the area is under control. The responsibility is to identify the threat before it becomes a disaster.”

The council head added that local authorities in the area had, in her words, been forced for years to fight for funding for security systems in seam-line communities.

“This danger is not theoretical. It is right before our eyes. The seam line is a front, and it must be treated as a front, with forces, equipment, technology, and budgets. This has to happen now, not after the next incident.”