Criminal9/28/2026

Detention Extended for Suspects in Qalqilya Underground Facilities Case

The military court extended by eight days the detention of two Qalqilya residents suspected of digging an underground facility in which police found weapons. The defense claimed that one of them serves as an officer in the Palestinian Preventive Security Service at a rank equivalent to that of a deputy commander in the Israel Police.

Key facts

•Court: Military court
•Suspects: Four people
•Detention extension: Eight days for two Qalqilya residents
•Facility depth according to the police account: At least 25 meters
•Neither the case number nor the exact date of the decision was stated

Who Was Arrested

Four people are implicated in the case: two Qalqilya residents and two Israeli citizens. The detention of the two Qalqilya residents was extended until next Sunday, while the detention of the two Israeli suspects had previously been extended until the day after the article’s publication. The source does not state the suspects’ names or the case number.

What They Are Suspected Of

The four are suspected of illegally possessing weapons, conspiring to commit a crime, preparing a terrorist act, and constructing a passageway or tunnel for the purpose of committing a crime or escaping afterward. Possession of unauthorized materials and additional offenses are also mentioned. These are suspicions at the investigative stage, not convictions handed down by the court.

Why the Court Extended the Detention

The military court reviewed the investigative materials and the confidential report. The court concluded that there was reasonable suspicion that the alleged acts had been committed, including the construction of a passageway or tunnel. The source does not report that an indictment was filed or that a final decision was issued in the case.

The Police and the IDF Differ in Their Assessments

The police claim that two tunnels under construction were found in Qalqilya, one of them at least 25 meters deep, along with a large quantity of weapons. According to the police, the facility is located about 400 meters as the crow flies from Highway 6 and 200 meters from Highway 55, but it did not cross into Israel. The IDF reported discovering two deep shafts and stated that its examination did not confirm that they were connected to a tunnel route or that either facility was close to the buffer zone.

What this means for you

The decision to extend the detention means only that the court authorized the suspects’ continued detention during the investigation. It neither confirms their guilt nor resolves the disagreement between the police and the IDF over whether the facilities found were tunnels. For residents of Israel, the article explains that an underground facility’s proximity to roads does not in itself indicate that it extended into Israeli territory.

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