Israel continues to block access to Palestinian villages due to forest fires

The Israeli occupation authorities continue to block access routes into several Palestinian towns and villages near Ramallah in the West Bank due to forest fires across the country, Quds Press reported on Sunday. A serious fire was reported in the woods within the illegal Jewish settlement of Halamish close to Ramallah.

According to Quds Press, the villages of Al-Nabi Saleh, Beit Rima, Deir Ghassanah, Southern Aboud, Deir Abu-Mish’al and Umm Al-Safa were those affected. It added that the routes into Salfit and a number of villages nearby were also closed due to the fire.

The occupation authorities announced late on Sunday that all of the forest fires are now contained. Losses have been estimated at millions of dollars, while thousands of homes and housing units in illegal settlements have been destroyed or damaged.