Border Police officers arrested a resident of Qalandiya on suspicion of involvement in digging a shaft near the security fence in the area.
The incident began during an operational activity in the Qalandiya sector, when observers at the Atarot operations center identified several suspects digging near the fence. Following the report, Jerusalem Envelope Border Police officers were dispatched to the scene.
As the officers approached, the suspects began to flee. The forces pursued them on foot, firing shots into the air. At the end of the pursuit, one suspect, a 36-year-old resident of Qalandiya, was arrested.
Police said the suspect was present in Israeli territory without a legal permit. Following his arrest, he led the officers to the shaft that had been dug at the site.
During initial questioning, the suspect claimed that he and the other suspects intended to dig a tunnel in order to infiltrate into Israeli territory. Inside the shaft, forces discovered digging tools and numerous buckets suspected of having been used in the excavation.
The suspect and the seized evidence were transferred for further investigation by the Jerusalem Envelope Border Police Investigations and Intelligence Unit.
Police stressed that the investigation is ongoing and that additional arrests are expected.