18 Palestinians arrested as Israeli forces conduct fresh raids in West Bank

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – Israeli forces detained 18 more Palestinians in fresh military raids in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, according to prisoners’ affairs groups.

Two children and a woman were among those detained in the raids that targeted the town of Beit Rima, west of Ramallah, and the cities of Jericho, Hebron, Nablus, and East Jerusalem, the Commission of Detainees' Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners Society said in a joint statement.

"The arrests were marked by acts of sabotage and destruction of citizens’ homes, in addition to severe beatings of detainees and their families, and the confiscation of money,'' the statement said.

There was no comment from the Israeli army on the report.

According to prisoners' affairs groups, at least 7,170 Palestinians have been detained by Israeli forces in the West Bank since Oct. 7.

More than 400 Palestinians have since been killed and 4,500 others injured in the occupied territory, the Health Ministry said.

Tensions have been running high across the West Bank since Israel launched a deadly military offensive against the Gaza Strip following an Oct. 7 Hamas attack that killed some 1,200 people.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice over its deadly onslaught on the Gaza Strip, which has left more than 29,400 people dead.

In an interim ruling in January, the Hague-based court ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio