25 more Palestinians detained by Israeli forces

RAMALLAH, Palestine

The Israeli army on Wednesday detained 25 more Palestinians in military raids across the occupied West Bank, according to the prisoners’ affairs groups.

The arrests took place in the cities of Hebron, Jenin, Tulkarem, Qalqilya and East Jerusalem, the Commission of Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoner Society said in a joint statement.

Those arrested included a journalist and two women, the statement added.

The new arrests brought to 8,935 Palestinians detained by the Israeli army in the West Bank since last October, according to Palestinian figures.

The Israeli forces assaulted and abused the Palestinians and damaged their homes, the statement said.

Tensions have been running high across the West Bank since October when Israel launched a deadly military offensive against the Gaza Strip.

At least 519 Palestinians have since been killed and nearly 5,000 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, which in its latest ruling has ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its operation in Gaza's Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar