West Bank raids net chained man, Hamas suspect, and stolen army gear
Police in Israel and the West Bank reported multiple arrests and seizures on Sunday, including a Jerusalem resident found dead in Bethlehem.
By Carlos Rousseau ·
Security forces across the West Bank and central Israel conducted a series of raids over the weekend that resulted in arrests, weapon seizures, and the discovery of a body. The operations targeted illegal arms, suspected militants, and individuals involved in violent crime.
Police found the body of an Israeli resident of East Jerusalem, a man in his 40s, in the Wadi Rahal area near Bethlehem on Monday. Forensic investigators and IDF soldiers collected evidence at the scene. Authorities stated that initial findings suggest the death was a criminal matter rather than a terror incident. The body was sent to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute for an autopsy to determine the specific cause of death.
During overnight raids in Bethlehem on Sunday, Israeli forces arrested three suspects. One suspect, a Palestinian resident, is alleged to have ties to Hamas. Officers searched his home along with the residence of another Bethlehem resident suspected of holding weapons. In those homes, police found a loaded hunting rifle, IDF uniforms, and various technological items. Both men were taken to the Ma'ale Adumim police station to face charges for possessing illegal weapons and military equipment.
In a separate search near Hebron, officers arrested a man in his 30s. They found him in possession of a hunting rifle and a large quantity of ammunition. Meanwhile, in Kalansuwa, a majority-Arab city in central Israel, police discovered a cache of weapons stolen from the IDF. The operation was part of a broader initiative to reduce violent crime in the Arab sector. Forces seized one Kalashnikov rifle, three M-16 assault rifles, eight handguns, six fragmentation grenades, two stun grenades, thousands of rounds of ammunition, and three tactical vests. A explosives expert handled the grenades, and police arrested two family members present at the site for questioning.
Police also operated in Rahat over the weekend to locate illegal weapons. During that search, officers found a man chained to the floor of a home. His leg was shackled to the ground. Police freed him and determined that his own family members had chained him, allegedly because of his drug use. The man's brother was arrested and taken to the Rahat police station for questioning.
The next step in the Kalansuwa investigation is for police to submit the seized weaponry as evidence while the case remains open. In Bethlehem, the two suspects arrested from the homes are in custody pending further investigation. The man rescued in Rahat is free, and his brother is being questioned.
