100 Palestinians detained in Jericho this year

Israeli occupation forces have detained 100 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank city of Jericho since the start of 2023, including ten children, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club (PPC) has reported.

The PPC said that most of those held were detained from the Aqabat Jaber refugee camp, adding that 32 are still in prison including a number who are still under investigation.

A group of the detainees, who remain in prison, were prevented from meeting a lawyer, the PPC said.

The PPC stated that many of the detainees were close relatives of Palestinians killed during the Israeli occupation’s raids on Jenin. They were beaten and their homes were subject to repeated raids.

Palestinian medical sources said that the Israeli occupation forces shot dead 15-year-old Mohammed Balhan in Aqabat Jaber. Balhan was hit with three bullets in the head, abdomen and pelvis.

Two other civilians suffered bullet wounds to the lower parts of their bodies and five others were arrested.

The Israeli occupation forces have killed 96 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank this year, seven of whom were from Jericho, making 2023 the deadliest year for Palestinians in the area.

This year is also marked by Israel’s most right-wing coalition taking office, many have called it a ‘fascist’ government.

READ: Israel arrested over 3,000 Palestinians in West Bank in 2022