Council to investigate again after residents of Israeli town near Tulkarem say they hear digging

Additional inspections will be carried out after residents of Bat Hefer, an Israeli town situated hundreds of meters from the West Bank city Tulkarem and the village of Shuweika, report hearing digging sounds.

Three sets of tests searching for possible tunnels from the West Bank have so far not found anything, but a further two checks will be carried out by the local council in the coming days.

“The residents who complained of digging noises near their homes have been saying it for around a year and a half,” Bat Hefer resident Gad Ohayon tells Channel 12 news.

The Hamas and Hezbollah terror groups have in the past dug attack tunnels into Israel across the Gaza and Lebanon borders, respectively.

Ohayon says the residents told senior officials of their concerns, but their fears were not allayed.

According to the Ynet news site, the first search for tunnels was carried out by a specialist company on behalf of the council, the second by the IDF’s Home Front, and the third by the Defense Ministry.

Ohayon notes that in addition to the reported digging sounds, there have been a number of incidents of gunfire from the West Bank toward the town, with a number of cars and buildings hit.

“We have one of the strongest armies in the world, and it must deal with this issue,” Ohayon says.

The Emek Hefer Regional Council tells Ynet that it is carrying out the tests to allay fears of potential tunnels dug by terrorists.

“We take the reports very seriously, and are working over time to check the issue in a comprehensive and professional manner, using different methods. So far, three checks have been carried out and two more checks will be carried out in the coming days. So far, there have been no findings to indicate digging,” the council says.