Israeli Forces Continue Predawn Raids in West Bank
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Israeli forces have conducted a series of predawn raids across the occupied West Bank, leading to the arrest of several Palestinians, including two senior journalists in Hebron.
The raids have spanned various areas of the West Bank, with Aqaba, Qalqilya, and Balata witnessing Israeli military operations in the early morning hours.
One of the operations took place in Qalqilya, which has been among the frequent targets of raids in the Palestinian territory since October 7.
Israeli forces also clashed with Palestinians at the Aqabat Jabr refugee camp west of the city of Jericho.
In Balata, a video posted by Al Jazeera Arabic on X captured the sound of rapid gunfire, signifying the intensity of the military operation. Balata is the third area in the occupied West Bank to experience predawn Israeli raids on this particular day.
The town of Aqaba in the West Bank also witnessed an early-morning raid, with heavily armed Israeli soldiers seen emerging from armored vehicles and navigating through narrow alleys. In another incident, an Israeli bulldozer was targeted as it moved through a narrow street in Qalqilya's Kafr Saba neighborhood.
Birzeit University's campus in Ramallah was also at the center of an Israeli raid during the previous night. While there were no reported arrests, the Israeli army stayed on the campus for over two hours, resulting in the destruction of property associated with the student movement.
The raids across the West Bank have led to the detention of at least 47 Palestinians, reflecting the escalating tension and deteriorating situation for Palestinians in the region.
Israeli forces have also detained women and family members in Hebron (Al-Khalil), using them as leverage to pressure wanted men into surrendering. Palestinians have decried this practice as illegal detention, akin to hostage-taking. Israeli forces have employed similar tactics in the past, even detaining children during these raids.
According to the Palestinian Prisoner's Society, since the commencement of the latest Israeli war a month ago, at least 154 Palestinians have been killed, and 2,150 others have been detained by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank.