Israel occupation forces detain several Palestinians in West Bank raids

The Israeli occupation forces detained a number of Palestinians this morning during raids in the West Bank, mainly in north-west Ramallah, the Palestinian Information Centre has reported. According to local sources, the occupation forces raided dozens of homes last night in Arura village, turned a house into an interrogation centre and detained and questioned over 20 local people before releasing them.

The sources said that the Israeli forces carried on with such raids this morning in other areas of Ramallah province, including Shuqba, Qibya, Abwein and Al-Jalazon refugee camp. Two Palestinian men were detained in their homes by the occupation forces during raids in Beit Rima and Al-Jalazon camp.

In Bethlehem, meanwhile, Israeli forces detained three citizens, including a child, at their homes in the city and Al-Deheisha refugee camp. Seven other citizens were taken prisoner during occupation raids in different areas of Qalqilya province. The occupation forces also detained a Palestinian citizen from Al-Khalil (Hebron) and seven others at the Deir Sharaf checkpoint to the north west of Nablus.

Since 7 October last year, the Israeli occupation forces have jailed or detained over 11,900 Palestinian citizens from the West Bank and Jerusalem, including 435 women and 790 children, according to official Palestinian statistics. During the same period, they have detained 136 Palestinian journalists, including women, from the West Bank and Gaza; 58 journalists are still in detention.

According to Palestinian organisations defending prisoners’ rights, these detainees have been exposed to many violations during and after their detention.

At least 47 Palestinian prisoners have been martyred in Israel custody since October 2023, including 29 martyrs from Gaza, according to new figures released by the Palestinian Commission of Detainees’ and Ex-Detainees’ Affairs, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society and Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association.

The rights groups believe that dozens of Palestinian detainees from Gaza have been martyred in Israeli jails and detention camps, but the Israeli occupation army has not disclosed their names.

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