RAMALLAH, Palestine

The Israeli army on Saturday detained 14 more Palestinians in various areas of the occupied West Bank.

According to a joint statement issued 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 4,860.

The latest arrests took place in the governorates of Hebron, Nablus, and Jalazone camp north of Ramallah.

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, 318 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank since Oct. 7, with over 3,300 others injured.

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 Ikram Kouachi