Israeli forces detain Palestinian women and children

Six children were among a group of Palestinians who were detained by Israeli forces yesterday while they were on their lands in the village of Azzun in the occupied northern West Bank district of Qalqiliya.

Hassan Shibita, the media coordinator of the village, told Ma’an that Israeli forces had detained Samir Mahmoud Shibita, Omar Muen Hussein, six children, and a number of other Palestinians.

Shibita identified four of the children as Muhammad Arif Dahbour, Thaer Safa Abed, Anas Zahran Shibita and Mustafa Yassir Shibita.

He added that later in the day another group of farmers, including women, were detained in the village, noting that Israeli soldiers took the mobile phones of the detainees and bystanders and deleted photos of the detention process.

Shibita said that the two groups detained by Israeli forces have yet to be released.

Local sources told Ma’an that there were no clashes at the time of the detentions, adding that Israeli forces were attempting to provoke the Palestinians in the village.

An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma’an she would look into reports.

According to prisoners’ rights group Addameer, 6,500 Palestinians are being held in Israeli detention as of January, including 353 women and children.