Jerusalem, 24 August, 2023 (TPS) — Amid a surge in Arab Israeli homicides, Israeli police discovered an underground tunnel in the city of Nazareth that authorities believe has been used by a criminal organization to dispose of weapons and serve as a hiding place for suspects, the police announced on Thursday.

The tunnel was discovered underneath an abandoned house in the Arab city.

According to police, the tunnel’s dimensions have been altered significantly, now spanning dozens of meters beyond its original size. This subterranean passage divided into three separate chambers which apparently served as safe havens during police operations.

Additionally, the tunnel facilitated the surreptitious removal of weapons from the premises.

The tunnel’s discovery comes against the backdrop of a sharply rising number of homicides in the Arab sector. This year has seen unprecedented numbers of Arab Israelis killed in criminal violence, with the death toll standing at 158. The number of Arab homicides at this time in 2022 was 68.

The spike in violence is attributed to organized crime groups fighting turf battles and trying to eliminate rivals. Arab criminal organizations have been involved in extortion, money laundering, trafficking in weapons, drugs and women.

This week alone saw the murder of five people, including two municipal officials in the towns of Tira and Abu Snan.

On Tuesday night, 53-year-old Ghazi Sa’ab, who was Druze, had announced his candidacy for head of the local council earlier in the evening, was shot and killed along with three relatives in Abu Snan, a village in the Western Galilee.

Abed Rahman Kashua, the director-general of the Arab village of Tira was killed on Monday night.

Police do not believe that either of the attacks were linked to municipal elections scheduled for October 31.