Border Police rescue gazelle illegally held in Jenin basement

Israel Border Police, in collaboration with supervisors from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA), have rescued a gazelle that was illegally captured and confined to a basement near Jenin. The operation, conducted overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday, located the animal in the private residence's basement.

One suspect has been detained for questioning, and authorities intend to file an indictment against them on charges of hunting and illegally holding a wild animal. The rescued gazelle is currently undergoing veterinary examination and is expected to be transferred to a safari located in Ramat Gan for its care and rehabilitation.

This incident follows another animal rescue case last week, where two lion cubs, Ben Tzur and Uri, who were illegally trafficked into Israel the previous year, were transferred to a big-cat sanctuary in South Africa. The cubs arrived at the Animal Defenders International (ADI) sanctuary after a lengthy journey and were released into their new enclosure. These lions were among six cubs rescued in 2025 after being smuggled into Israel and discovered in areas under the Palestinian Authority's jurisdiction.