A female soldier who was rescued from Jericho overnight had entered the city with her Palestinian boyfriend for a birthday celebration, according to a report by Ynet. Two additional Israeli women who had arrived to meet Palestinian friends they met in Sinai were also rescued by Civil Administration forces. All three were brought out safely, the report says.
A new report by Ynet this evening (20:49 Jerusalem) provides the most detailed account yet of the rescue of a female soldier and two Israeli women from Jericho overnight Friday–Saturday. According to Ynet, the soldier entered the Palestinian-controlled city with her Palestinian boyfriend to celebrate her birthday. The two additional women, who had arrived to meet Palestinian friends they met while vacationing in Sinai, were also extracted by Civil Administration forces. All three were brought out safely, the report says.
The Zioneer first reported the rescue at 12:28 Jerusalem Saturday, when initial accounts said a female conscript and two women had been extracted from Jericho without incident. By 14:14 Jerusalem, N12 confirmed that the women had entered the city for a birthday party and to meet friends from Sinai. The Ynet report now adds the specific detail that the soldier entered with her Palestinian boyfriend, a circumstance not mentioned in earlier reports. The quality of the information has moved from a single unconfirmed claim to multiple newsroom reports, though no official military statement has been issued.
As The Zioneer noted earlier on Saturday, the three Israelis entered the Palestinian-controlled city without prior coordination with security forces. The Civil Administration carried out the rescue operation. The broader context of Israelis entering Area A without authorization remains a recurring security concern, as documented in previous coverage.
The identities of the women have not been released, and the Israeli military has not officially commented on the incident. It remains unclear how security forces became aware of the soldier’s presence in Jericho and whether any of the individuals will face legal consequences for entering Area A without a permit.
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