Israeli forces detained dozens of Palestinians during overnight raids across multiple areas of the occupied West Bank, including the home of a Palestinian man who was shot dead by Israeli forces near Bethlehem, according to Palestinian media reports.
The raids, carried out early Thursday, came amid heightened military activity and settler incursions across the territory.
Raids in northern West Bank towns
At dawn, Israeli military vehicles and soldiers stormed the towns of Attil and Deir al-Ghusun, north of Tulkarem, detaining several young men and searching dozens of homes, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
Among those detained in Attil was a man previously injured by Israeli gunfire near the Tulkarem refugee camp last December. The Tulkarem governorate, including the Tulkarem and Nur Shams refugee camps, has been under near-continuous Israeli military operations for over a year.
Funeral held after deadly raid
In ad-Dhahiriya village near Hebron, residents buried a Palestinian youth killed during an Israeli raid on Wednesday night. Israeli forces later raided the home of Qusay Halaika, who was shot dead at a checkpoint between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Two of his brothers were reportedly arrested.
Israeli authorities said Halaika was shot after an alleged attempted stabbing, while Palestinian sources said he was left bleeding after being shot multiple times.
Settler activity and property seizures
Separately, Israeli settlers stormed Joseph’s Tomb, with Israeli troops deployed to secure the area. Palestinian officials also reported the demolition of a Palestinian-owned factory in Sebastia near Nablus.
In Hebron’s Jabal Johar area, Israeli forces seized a five-storey residential building, forcing families to evacuate.
UN warns of rising violence
The United Nations has warned that attacks against Palestinians and their property in the West Bank have reached unprecedented levels, as military raids and settler violence continue to escalate.