Israeli army raids West Bank towns, arrests more Palestinians

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - The Israeli army raided on Monday cities and towns across the occupied West Bank, arresting Palestinians and destroying property.

Witnesses told Anadolu that the army stormed the towns of Qabatiya, Yabad, Marka, and Bir al-Basha in Jenin, leading to armed clashes with Palestinian fighters.

The army destroyed properties and homes during the raid on Qabatiya, amid sounds of gunfire and explosions in various parts of the town, the witnesses said.

They also noted that the army blew up a vehicle and arrested several Palestinians from the towns before withdrawing.

In Nablus, the Israeli army raided several towns, including Jammain, where they searched homes and shops, arrested three Palestinians, and interrogated them on-site before releasing them, according to witnesses.

The army also conducted raids in towns in the governorates of Qalqilya, Bethlehem, Hebron, and Ramallah, before later pulling back.

As of yet, no official statement has been issued regarding the number of detainees by either official sources or organizations concerned with prisoner affairs.

Tensions have been high across the occupied West Bank since Israel launched a deadly military offensive against the Gaza Strip, which has killed nearly 38,600 victims since Oct. 7.

At least 574 Palestinians, including at least 136 children, have since been killed and nearly 5,350 others injured by Israeli army fire in the occupied territory, according to the Health Ministry.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, whose latest ruling ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its military operation in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.