Israeli army arrests 22 more Palestinians in West Bank raids

By Awad Rjoob

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - Israeli forces detained 22 more Palestinians across the occupied West Bank late Friday and early Saturday, according to prisoners’ rights groups.

“The Israeli occupation forces arrested at least 22 citizens from the West Bank, including journalist Sami Al-Saei, two children, and former prisoners,” the Commission of Detainees' Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners Society said in a joint statement.

The arrests were concentrated in the Bethlehem governorate, while the rest took place in the governorates of Hebron, Ramallah, Tulkarm, Nablus, and Jerusalem, accompanied by widespread acts of abuse, severe beatings, and threats against detainees and their families, it added.

With the latest figures, the total number of arrests since Oct. 7 of last year rose to 7,210, according to the statement.

Tensions have been running high across the occupied territory since Israel launched a deadly military offensive against the Gaza Strip following an Oct. 7 Hamas attack which 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 29,600 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 Ikram Kouachi