Nearly 95 percent of Palestinian illegal entrants apprehended by Israeli security forces along the West Bank seam line during the war have been released without indictment, according to newly published figures.

Military correspondent Doron Kadosh reported on Army Radio that a series of systemic failures within the security establishment has allowed large numbers of illegal entrants to continue crossing the security barrier. Even among those who are caught, only a small fraction ultimately face prosecution.

Official IDF data show that the rate of indictments is extremely low, even compared to the relatively limited number of suspects apprehended by security forces.

In 2025, a total of 6,807 illegal entrants were captured by the IDF and Border Police along the seam line. Of those, indictments were filed against only 405 individuals—approximately 6 percent.

In 2024, security forces detained 10,825 illegal entrants in the same area. Just 334 were prosecuted, representing only 4 percent.

Overall, during the war, about 95 percent of those apprehended were released without trial or formal charges.

Security officials cited several factors contributing to the situation:

First, authorities face significant difficulty in building sufficient evidence against detainees. Even when suspects are caught on the Palestinian side near the barrier, investigators must prove conclusively that they intended to cross into Israeli territory.

Second, there is a severe shortage of investigators in the relevant police and Border Police units tasked with handling these cases.

Third, the Israel Prison Service is facing an acute shortage of detention space. Holding facilities in the West Bank are operating at full capacity, with no available spots. As a result, even when suspects are apprehended, they are often released shortly thereafter due to the lack of space to hold them.

Fourth, coordination problems between various security bodies—particularly with the Defense Ministry—have compounded the issue. According to senior officials familiar with the matter, security personnel from the Defense Ministry’s crossings authority have at times allowed drivers transporting illegal entrants to continue on their way without detaining them and transferring them to police custody. “We are catching only the mosquitoes without draining the swamp,” a senior IDF official charged, criticizing Defense Ministry personnel.

In response, the IDF said it is working in coordination with all security agencies to combat the phenomenon of Palestinian infiltration into Israel and is investing substantial resources in the effort.

The Defense Ministry stated that in every incident in which an infiltrator is caught, the case is reported to law enforcement authorities and both the infiltrator and the driver are detained pending further instructions from enforcement officials.

{Matzav.com}