Israeli army in West Bank uses Palestinian detainee as human shield

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - A video that went viral on social media on Friday showed the Israeli military using a Palestinian detainee as a human shield in the southern occupied West Bank.

The blindfolded detainee is seen seated on the ground, with military vehicles behind him using him as a shield, and an Israeli soldier aiming his rifle towards a group of Palestinians.

Eyewitnesses reported to Anadolu that the incident took place early Friday in the Fawwar refugee camp near Hebron in the southern occupied West Bank.

The Israeli military raided the camp, arresting several individuals, in the process sparking confrontations with dozens of Palestinians, the eyewitnesses said.

At least 173 Palestinians have been killed and 2,300 others injured by Israeli army fire in the occupied territory since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict, according to Palestinian figures.

Prior to the Gaza conflict, the number of Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails was estimated at around 5,200, according to Palestinian figures.

Tensions have been running high across the West Bank since the fighting broke out on Oct. 7 between Palestinian groups and Israel in the Gaza Strip.

*Writing by Ziad Aslan in Ankara