Prime Minister Naftali Bennett spoke with Interior Minister Omer Bar-Lev and said that this was a “serious incident that will require the efforts of all security systems.” Police are investigating the possibility that the escapees may have managed to escape to Jenin or Jordan.Ī senior police official said that this is one of the worst incidents of this kind in the country. Security forces are also utilizing special units in the search like dogs and aerial support.
Police, the Shin Bet, Border Police and troops from IDF companies as well as special forces are taking part in the massive manhunt, and have placed roadblocks in the West Bank. The escape, which began around 3.30 AM, was reportedly discovered when a farmer saw the six prisoners running in his field and notified the police. They were all in the same cell and dug the tunnel over the course of a month.
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said that troops in the West Bank have been alerted to the escape and are on high alert.Īccording to Hebrew media reports, three of them had attempted to escape in the past. The Israel Prison Service released the names and affiliations of the escaped prisoners:Īccording to Jerusalem Post, the six prisoners shared a cell, which is where they dug the tunnel over the course of a month, using a rusty spoon that they hid behind a poster. The six were high-security prisoners who were all in jail with life sentences in connection with deadly terror attacks against Israelis but managed to escape by using a tunnel they had previously dug. A large manhunt is underway for six Palestinian prisoners who escaped from the Gilboa prison in Israel’s North using a tunnel, reports Jerusalem Post.