Israeli security forces dispute tunnel discovery in Qalqilya

Conflicting reports have emerged regarding a security operation in Qalqilya, West Bank. Israeli police initially claimed to have discovered an incomplete tunnel under construction reaching a depth of at least 25 meters, along with the start of a second tunnel. The police stated that the operation, involving crime prevention units and border police, resulted in the seizure of an M16 rifle, a sniper rifle, ammunition, and fertilizer potentially used for explosives, as well as the arrest of four individuals.

However, the Israeli military later issued a statement contradicting the police account. The military reported that while forces found two holes approximately 12 meters deep and seized various weapons—including an M16, a hunting rifle, a pistol, and ammunition—an inspection concluded that there was no evidence of a tunnel path. The military statement explicitly dismissed the previous claims regarding a tunnel as being based on ‘unofficial and irresponsible statements’ without naming the specific source.