Border Police officers at the Ofer checkpoint on Route 443 north of Jerusalem arrested eight illegal infiltrators who were hiding in a private ambulance. The ambulance driver, who attempted to dissuade the officers from opening the back of the ambulance, claiming he was tending to a medical emergency, was arrested as well.
Minister of Health Uriel Busso, called for all involved to be strictly punished. "I see the incident in which a private ambulance was used to smuggle illegal infiltrators with great severity. A rescue vehicle must be used for one thing - saving lives. Any other use harms public health.
"I demanded that the ambulance license be revoked from the driver and the ambulance company, in addition, I am calling on the enforcement authorities to bring all involved to justice so that similar incidents don't occur," Busso added.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir commented: "Our enemy breaks a record low and doesn't spare any means to infiltrate into Israeli territory. Even using an ambulance. I congratulate the alertness of the forces on the ground and the foiling of the smuggling. Illegal infiltrators are a platform for terror - we will fight using all means to prevent their entry."