Three Palestinians who entered Israel from the Gaza Strip under cover of Hamas’ surprise attack on Oct. 7, 2023, were arrested in Rahat as part of Operation New Order in the Negev, police and the Ministry of National Security said Saturday.
According to the statement, the three — illegal residents — were employed in Rahat, where police found bullets and stolen military ammunition in their possession. They were transferred for questioning by the Shin Bet security agency.
About a month after police launched Operation New Order, a large-scale emergency campaign in the Negev aimed at curbing cycles of violence and crime, police and the Ministry of National Security reported that more than 250 suspects have been arrested for questioning, 39 offenders have been removed from the Negev, and 67 indictments have been filed on charges including possession and use of stolen military weapons and violent offenses. The Gazans in Rahat were apprehended during a raid by Negev District Major Crimes Unit detectives and Southern National Guard Border Police fighters.
Police and the ministry said the operation has led to a 93% drop in shooting incidents in the Bedouin diaspora. Intensive enforcement efforts have resulted in the seizure of 70 stolen military weapons, an RPG rocket, dozens of military magazines, explosive charges, and more than 50,000 rounds of ammunition. In addition, 23 kilograms of various drugs were seized, 42 suspects were arrested on suspicion of drug possession and trafficking, hundreds of illegal residents were detained, more than 200 vehicles were taken off the road, and traffic enforcement led to 2,190 citations for life-endangering offenses.
The statement added that the force deployed so far under the operation — commanded by Southern District Police Chief Cmd. Haim Bublil — includes 7,945 police officers, 62 canine handlers, 23 drones, and 40 mounted officers, drawn from the Southern District police, Yoav Unit fighters, Southern National Guard, Border Police, undercover units, Unit 33, the motorcycle patrol, canine and mounted units, and the Israel Police air unit.
As part of the operation, special police units carried out dozens of raids on compounds belonging to feuding families, leading to the arrest of criminal targets in the Bedouin diaspora. According to the statement, during the roughly month-long operation seven police officers were injured, three ramming attempts were carried out along with additional escape attempts, and more than 250 suspects were arrested for questioning on suspicion of using, possessing and stealing weapons and involvement in violent feuds. As noted, 39 residents of the diaspora were removed from the Negev.
It was also reported that during the operation, fines totaling about one million shekels were issued across five enforcement actions initiated by Negev regional municipal policing, volunteers from various units, and in cooperation with regulators from the Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Southern District enforcement authority, and others.
First published: 03:21, 12.21.25