Ramallah: Israeli occupation forces have detained at least 45 citizens from the West Bank since yesterday evening until Thursday morning. The Detainees and Ex-Detainees Commission and the Palestine Prisoners Society (PPS) announced in a joint statement that the detainees include children and former prisoners.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA, the detention and field investigations took place in the Hebron and Salfit governorates, accompanied by attacks and severe beatings against detainees and their families. Additionally, there was significant vandalism and destruction of citizens’ homes. The most prominent attacks were against the family of the slain Palestinian youth Abdul Fattah Haribat.
The occupation has continued its incursions into the cities of Jenin and Tulkarm for months. These areas, along with the intensive arrest campaigns, have witnessed field executions resulting in the deaths of dozens, forced displacement of thousands, destruction of infrastructure, and home demolitions.
These detentions come amid the comprehensive aggression waged by the occupation against Palestinians since the start of what is referred to as the war of extermination. During this period, approximately 17,000 citizens from the West Bank, in addition to dozens of Palestinian workers and thousands from Gaza, have been arrested.
The occupation forces conduct frequent raids on Palestinian houses almost daily across the West Bank, citing the search for ‘wanted’ Palestinians. These operations often lead to clashes with residents. Raids are conducted without search warrants, at any time and location, reflecting the military’s broad arbitrary powers.
Under Israeli military law, army commanders possess full executive, legislative, and judicial authority over the 3 million Palestinians living in the West Bank, leaving Palestinians without a voice in how this authority is wielded.
According to the latest figures from Addameer, the Palestinian Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, there are currently 9,900 Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli prisons and detention centers. This includes 400 child prisoners, 27 female prisoners, and five members of the Palestinian Legislative Council. Of these, approximately 3,498 Palestinians are under ‘administrative detention’, a practice allowing detention without charge or trial based on undisclosed evidence.
The mass arrest of Palestinians is longstanding. A 2017 report by Addameer indicated that over the past 50 years, more than 800,000 Palestinians have been imprisoned or detained by Israel, with current estimates suggesting this number is closer to 1 million. This equates to about 40% of Palestinian men and boys living under military occupation experiencing imprisonment, impacting nearly every Palestinian family.
