Israeli Forces Raid Homes Across Occupied West Bank, Arrest Ibrahim Daamsa and Samed Al-Atiq
Key Takeaways
- Israeli raids caused property damage at multiple West Bank locations.
- In al-Zawiya near Salfit, homes were raided with extensive damage.
- Birzeit University raid involved assault on a security guard and property damage.
West Bank raids continue
Israeli forces carried out fresh raids across the occupied West Bank, including operations in al-Zawiya west of Salfit and in Bethlehem, according to News.Az citing Al Jazeera.
“Israeli forces continued operations across the occupied West Bank, carrying out raids, arrests and home searches in several Palestinian communities,News”
In al-Zawiya, Israeli forces raided several homes, conducted searches and caused extensive property damage during the operation, while in Bethlehem two Palestinian men were arrested early Monday after Israeli forces raided their homes.
The detainees were identified as 22-year-old Ibrahim Daamsa and 32-year-old Samed Al-Atiq, and Israeli forces also entered the town of Al-Ram north of Jerusalem on Sunday evening and fired tear gas.
Israeli authorities issued a demolition order on Sunday for the home of a Palestinian resident in the Silwan neighborhood of East Jerusalem, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque, where the house has stood for about 30 years and is home to a family of four.
Birzeit University raid
Israeli forces raided Birzeit University in the central occupied West Bank early Monday, assaulting a security guard and damaging property before withdrawing, local sources and the institution said.
The raid included storming the campus near Ramallah, assaulting the security guard, raiding the Faculty of Physical Education building from the eastern side, and damaging infrastructure and items, according to local sources told Anadolu Agency.
The university administration said on Facebook that “exams will be held at their scheduled times according to the approved timetables, with no changes,” after following up with relevant authorities about what happened at dawn.
The Middle East Monitor also described a pattern of near-daily Israeli raids in West Bank cities and towns, often involving arrests, field interrogations and home searches, and it cited official figures since Oct. 8, 2023 that attacks have killed at least 1,173 Palestinians, injured 12,666 and led to the arrest of about 23,000.
Casualties, arrests, annexation fears
The Middle East Monitor said Israeli army and occupiers’ attacks in the West Bank since Oct. 8, 2023 have included destruction and demolition of homes and facilities, razing of agricultural land, preventing farmers from reaching their land, and displacing residents.
“Israeli forces continued operations across the occupied West Bank, carrying out raids, arrests and home searches in several Palestinian communities,News”
It also said the attacks are paving the way for Israel to formally annex the West Bank, which would end the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state under relevant UN resolutions.
In parallel, News.Az reported that Israeli forces raided the village of Kafr Qaddum east of Qalqilya on Sunday and searched several Palestinian homes.
News.Az further reported that on Sunday evening Israeli forces entered Al-Ram north of Jerusalem and fired tear gas, with no injuries or arrests reported, while Israeli authorities issued the Silwan demolition order for a home in East Jerusalem.
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