Israeli police report that 10 Breslov Hasidic followers fled into the Palestinian village of Mukhmas after evading a traffic stop on Route 60 near Sha'ar Binyamin early Thursday, according to i24NEWS journalist Doron Kadosh. The vehicle overturned inside the village; the occupants exited and contacted authorities feeling threatened. Security forces initially declared a kidnapping alert, later downgraded after the group emerged safely. No violence between the Israelis and Palestinians has been reported.
New details from police sources and journalist Doron Kadosh (i24NEWS) clarify the incident in Mukhmas that triggered a major security alert early Thursday.
The events began when a police patrol on Route 60 near Sha'ar Binyamin observed a vehicle committing a severe traffic violation. The driver — one of 10 Breslov Hasidic followers — fled into the Palestinian village of Mukhmas, with the vehicle overturning inside the village. Police stopped the chase at the village entrance. The occupants exited the overturned, wrecked vehicle and contacted emergency services reporting they felt threatened. The combination of the abandoned vehicle and the phone call led all security branches to declare a kidnapping protocol. Palestinians in the village initially suspected the group were thieves.
As The Zioneer reported earlier Thursday (07:17, 09:14, 09:32), the alert was activated and later downgraded. It now emerges no violent incident occurred between the Israelis and Palestinians. Police detained several of the group for questioning after they exited the village on their own. The investigation is ongoing.
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