Zionist forces kidnap dozens of Palestinians in pre-dawn raids across West Bank
In a series of predawn raids on Wednesday, Israeli occupation forces detained at least 30 Palestinians across the occupied West Bank, according to statements from the Prisoners Affairs Committee and the Palestine Prisoner’s Society.
Among those detained were Asmaa Hreish, a photojournalist, the mother of a slain Palestinian, former prisoners, and several Gaza workers apprehended from the city of Ramallah.
The total number of Palestinians detained since October 7, 2023, has now surpassed 7,990, including individuals detained from their homes, at checkpoints, those forced to surrender, and those held as hostages.
In one operation, Israeli forces rounded up five members of the al-Golani family from the Shufat refugee camp north of Jerusalem. Additionally, two former prisoners were re-arrested after their families' homes in Hizma town northeast of Jerusalem were raided.
The raids sparked confrontations in various locations, including clashes in Hizma town where soldiers fired towards local youths attempting to obstruct their entry.
Further detentions were reported in Bethlehem, Hebron, and Qalqiliya districts, with several individuals arrested from various towns and refugee camps. In al-Far‘a refugee camp south of Tubas, military bulldozers caused extensive damage by razing streets and store entrances.
Israeli forces regularly conduct raids in Palestinian areas under the pretext of searching for "wanted" individuals, often leading to clashes with residents. These operations occur without the need for a search warrant, underscoring the sweeping powers held by Israeli military commanders in the West Bank.
According to Addameer, the Palestinian Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, there are currently 9,100 Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli detention centers, including women and children. Many are held under "administrative detention" without charge or trial, based on undisclosed evidence inaccessible even to their lawyers.
Mass arrests of Palestinians by Israeli forces are not uncommon, with historical data indicating that nearly 1 million Palestinians have been imprisoned or detained by Israel over the past five decades. This ongoing reality underscores the pervasive impact of Israeli military occupation on Palestinian communities. (ILKHA)