Israel detains 40 more Palestinians in West Bank, tally rises to 5,730 since Oct. 7

RAMALLAH, Palestine

The Israeli army rounded up 40 more Palestinians in military raids carried out across the occupied West Bank since Sunday evening, according to prisoners’ affairs groups.

According to a joint statement by the Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs Authority and the Palestinian Prisoners Society, the new arrests brought the total number of Palestinians detained by the Israeli forces since Oct. 7 to 5,730.

During the arrest campaigns, Israeli soldiers also beat and abused Palestinians, in addition to damaging their homes and other properties, it said.

The figure does not include the Palestinians arrested in Gaza, whose numbers are not specified by Israeli authorities, the statement added.

Tensions have been high across the West Bank since fighting broke out in Gaza on Oct. 7 between Palestinian groups and Israel.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, 337 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank since Oct. 7.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees on Friday said that 2023 was “the deadliest year on record” for Palestinians in the West Bank.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio