Five Palestinians were detained earlier this week attempting to illegally enter Jerusalem from the Judean Desert disguised as Jewish commuters, the Israel Police said on Wednesday.

The driver of the suspects' vehicle, which had a yellow ribbon on its mirror to signify solidarity with the hostages taken by Hamas on October 7, and an air freshener with an Israeli flag, was stopped for inspection by Border Police officers at the az-Za'ayyem crossing near Ma'ale Adumim.

During questioning, it became evident that the driver and three passengers were Judea and Samaria residents without permits to enter Jerusalem. They were carrying Israeli flags, a yarmulke and a wig.

In the trunk, the officers discovered a fifth Palestinian, along with Palestinian Authority licence plates.

"It became clear that the vehicle's original Palestinian licence plates were replaced with stolen Israeli licence plates from a car that was taken off the road," police said.

An indictment was filed against four of the suspects for attempting to illegally cross or reside over the Green Line. In addition, the driver was arrested, and a court extended her detention until 8 August.

Last month, Israeli security forces arrested three illegal infiltrators from the Gaza Strip near the Jewish community of Ofra in the Binyamin region of central Samaria, but released two of them shortly after.

The army did not explain how the men, reportedly residents of Jabalia in north Gaza, had entered Israeli territory or why two of them were released.

The Israel Border Police alone has detained more than 8,000 illegal Arab infiltrators since the start of 2024, according to data published in June.

"My policy regarding illegals, who are a platform for terrorism, is very clear: zero tolerance," Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on 3 June after undercover officers arrested 17 Palestinian infiltrators as they attempted to enter Jerusalem through a Samaria checkpoint.

In November, Jerusalem police arrested 11 Palestinians from Gaza, including the sister of a Hamas terrorist, during a raid of Al-Makassed Islamic Charitable Society Hospital on the capital's Mount of Olives.