Hebron Tragedy: Palestinian Youth Martyred as Israeli Forces Detain Dozens Across the West Bank
In an unfortunate surge of violence, a Palestinian youth was martyred today by the bullets of Israeli occupying forces in the southern part of the West Bank, marking a further escalation in the tensions ravaging the occupied territories. Concurrently, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club reported the alarming detention of approximately 70 Palestinians, including members of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), other Palestinian faction affiliates, former prisoners, and activists.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health confirmed the martyrdom of the young man, with three others suffering severe gunshot wounds inflicted by Israeli forces in Halhul, north of Hebron. Local platforms circulated scenes displaying the incursion of Israeli forces into Halhul early today, while local media outlets reported subsequent arrests made within the city.
According to the health ministry’s data, the number of Palestinian martyrs in the West Bank has tragically risen to 154 since the launch of the Palestinian resistance’s ‘Al-Quds Flood’ operation on October 7th.
Adding to the severity of the situation, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club revealed that the Israeli army had detained 70 Palestinians in the West Bank, pushing the tally of detainees to 2150 since the aforementioned date in October.
In recent detention operations, Israeli forces stormed the home of activist and former prisoner Ahed Tamimi in the town of Nabi Saleh northwest of Ramallah. Nariman Tamimi, Ahed’s mother, relayed to Anadolu Agency that Israeli military forces arrested Ahed, 23, after a thorough search that resulted in the family home being ransacked and mobile phones confiscated.
A widespread arrest campaign targeted Palestinian youth in Shuafat refugee camp, north of occupied Jerusalem, following a major military incursion. Forces raided numerous homes, and some residents were subjected to assault. The occupation forces also entered Ras Khamis neighborhood and the town of Anata, north of Jerusalem. Palestinian social media accounts cited local sources that Israeli forces detained Marouf Al-Rifai, the media advisor to the Governor of Jerusalem, after storming his home in Anata.
In Nablus Governorate, Al Jazeera’s correspondent reported renewed Israeli military incursions in the eastern area of the city. Palestinian sources detailed armed clashes that erupted between Palestinian resistance fighters and the encroaching forces.
Israeli military foot patrols also invaded the village of Rojeeb and the town of Beita, where confrontations with Palestinian youth unfolded amid protests against the burial of a settler in the contentious Avitar settlement, constructed on lands facing Mount Sabih.
Elsewhere, Israeli forces sealed the entrance to the town of Nabi Elias east of Qalqilya and stormed the town of Anabta in the Tulkarm Governorate, shutting down various roads and streets in the area.
In Jenin, which has witnessed a series of raids resulting in numerous martyrs in recent days, Israeli forces discharged tear gas canisters at civilian homes in the village of Tura, southwest of the city, following an incursion.
Since the commencement of the Israeli assault on Gaza, occupying forces have intensified raid and arrest operations across the West Bank. During this period, approximately 150 Palestinians have been martyred, and over two thousand have been detained, including about 500 Hamas members, according to Israeli military sources.
The persistent unrest in the region underscores the ongoing struggle and resistance faced by Palestinians under occupation, as international calls for de-escalation and respect for human rights continue to resonate.
