70 Palestinian workers found squeezed into a garbage truck trying to enter Israel | Watch

Israeli security forces discovered approximately 70 men crammed inside the waste compartment of a garbage truck on Monday night as they attempted to enter central Israel.

The discovery took place at the Shomron Crossing in northern Samaria after inspectors noticed the truck arriving from the east. Upon opening the rear compactor, security personnel found the men (mostly labourers from the West Bank), tightly packed into the unventilated space.

'Infiltrating for work'

Footage released by the Israel Police showed the back of the truck being opened under the glare of flashlights, with officers, some with weapons drawn, surrounding the vehicle. As the men were discovered, many raised their hands or placed them behind their heads. A voice in Arabic can be heard in the background commanding the group to stay silent: "Eskot" (Be silent).

More from World

Watch the footage here:

Israeli police commander Ital Almog described the group as "illegal entrants," a term typically used to categorise Palestinian labourers who attempt to enter Israel without valid work permits. According to authorities, the men were on their way to cities across central Israel, including Tel Aviv, Netanya, and Rishon LeZion, where jobs in construction and services are still in high demand.

"In a security inspection, dozens of illegal residents were discovered as they were trying to infiltrate into the centre of the country," the Defence Ministry’s Crossing Points Authority said in a statement.

A driver without a license

The driver of the truck, an Israeli citizen from the town of Kafr Qassem, was arrested at the scene. Police noted that he was operating the heavy vehicle without a proper license and had initially refused to cooperate with the inspection. Fire and rescue crews were reportedly called to the checkpoint to assist in the safe removal of the men from the hazardous waste compartment.

For many in the West Bank, the loss of legal access to the Israeli labour market has been catastrophic. With the local economy in tatters and wages significantly lower than those across the Green Line, workers are increasingly turning to dangerous smuggling routes or paying exorbitant fees for black-market transit.