IDF troops and Border Police officers rescued ten Israeli civilians who intentionally entered Kalkilya in Area A of the West Bank on Monday evening.
According to a police statement regarding the incident, the Israelis entered the city in an attempt to locate a motorcycle that had been stolen from the settlement of Elad on Sunday.
Police stated that after residents of Kalkilya noticed the Israelis, they surrounded the four vehicles the Israelis were traveling in and tried to separate them.
IDF troops and Border Police officers were dispatched to the scene after receiving reports of the incident.
Upon arriving at the scene, they took measures to disperse the crowd and create space between the Israelis and Kalkilya residents before safely removing all ten civilians from the area.
Israeli civilian entry into Area A is prohibited by law, and the civilians were taken in for questioning by security forces after being rescued, according to police.
Following the rescue operation, Border Police officers located the stolen motorcycle and returned it to its owner.
IDF prepares for West Bank threat
This comes as the IDF braces for increased security threats in the West Bank as officials warn of October 7-like raids.
A special reinforcement of IDF troops was placed in the seam zone, the area between the Green Line and Israel’s separation barrier, and on main routes. Daily campaigns are also being carried out, including in the most violent areas.
The strain on troops in the region has grown following a government decision to establish 103 new settlements, not including dozens of individual farms and illegal outposts.
Activists attempt to establish new settlement on Syrian border
The IDF noted that there have been “several similar incidents” of attempts at border crossing in recent days following a similar incident that involved about 100 settlers attempting to cross into Syria on Sunday.
The movement intends to establish an Israeli settlement in the area. On Monday, several more of the activists were detained by the IDF after attempting to cross the border, and were taken to the police for further action.
The IDF said that it “strongly condemns the attempted border crossing.”
Amir Bohbot and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
