"They Kidnapped Me": IDF Soldier Found in a Palestinian Village in the South Hebron Hills, Military Police Open Investigation

An IDF soldier in regular service was rescued overnight (between Wednesday and Thursday) from the town of Tarqumiyah in the western South Hebron Hills, after he was found with his hands bound in the middle of the Palestinian town. Following the unusual incident, the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division opened an inquiry into the circumstances of the case. According to the initial assessment, the incident appears to be criminal rather than security-related.

The incident began after police in the Judea and Samaria District received information through intelligence channels and in coordination with the Palestinian security forces that a person wearing an IDF uniform was in the town. Following the report, police forces were dispatched to the scene and found the soldier handcuffed with zip ties.

Officers moved quickly to rescue the soldier from the area and transferred him to a safe location. He was later taken for initial questioning at the Hebron police station, where he gave his account of the events. According to him, the background to the incident was a criminal dispute with several local residents. The soldier said the suspects took him to Tarqumiyah, bound him, and threatened his life.

At a later stage, the soldier was also questioned by the commander of the regional brigade in the sector. He was then transferred to police custody, and from there moved for further examination by the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division. During questioning, the soldier repeated his claim that he had been kidnapped and said he was brought to the village by car, taken out of it, and then left there alone. The investigation also found that the soldier was not carrying a weapon at the time of the incident.

At this stage, the security establishment believes the incident was criminal in nature. The investigation is continuing, and the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division is examining the full circumstances of the case and the chain of events that led to an IDF soldier being found in the middle of a Palestinian area.

The incident comes in addition to another case over the past weekend, when the Civil Administration rescued an Israeli civilian who had entered the city of Qalqilya with a friend during the night. According to the details of that incident, his friend left the scene and left him alone in the city. After local residents noticed him and the report was passed on to the security establishment, a rescue operation was carried out. Following these incidents, the security establishment is again emphasizing that entering Area A is prohibited by law and poses a danger to life.