Israel detained 690 Palestinians in May

Israeli occupation forces detained 690 Palestinians in May, including 76 minors and 19 women, Palestinian prisoners’ groups said in a joint report released yesterday.

The groups said that the majority of the detainees were from occupied Jerusalem, noting that it recorded the highest number of detentions this year after April when 1,228 Palestinians were held.

According to the report, May witnessed a significant escalation in the occupation’s violations and crimes against Palestinians, including field executions, house demolitions, collective punishment and arrests.

The report also stated that the Israeli escalation coincided with violations against prisoners inside jails and their families.

READ: Hamas calls for protection of Palestinian children against Israeli crimes

By the end of May, the report said, the number of Palestinian prisoners reached about 4,700, including 32 women and 170 children, while the number of administrative detainees stood at 640. Administrative detention allows occupation forces to hold Palestinians without charge or trial – normally on bogus or trumped up secret evidence – for renewable periods of six months.