Bethlehem: Israeli occupation forces on Monday evening chased Palestinian workers in Wadi al-Hummus, located near al-Khas village, east of the occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem, according to security sources. The soldiers, armed with guns, pursued and opened fire at several workers near the village, allegedly for trying to enter Jerusalem for work without the necessary entry permits. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, before Israel's military operations in Gaza in October 2023, at least 390,000 Palestinians were employed in Israel. However, the conflict led to the revocation of many work permits, forcing some Palestinians to risk their lives for temporary employment opportunities. Since the onset of the conflict, the General Federation of Palestinian Trade Unions has documented the deaths of at least 42 workers and the detention of 32,000 individuals by Israeli forces.
In a related development, the International Court of Justice, in an Advisory Opinion issued in July 2004, declared the separation wall illegal and urged Israel to dismantle it.
