Israeli forces detain 2 Palestinians, fire tear gas during occupied West Bank raids

Children suffered breathing difficulties after Israeli forces fired tear gas toward an olive press in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, while two people were also detained in separate raids, Palestinian media reported. Voice of Palestine radio said Israeli troops fired tear gas toward an olive press and a vehicle in the town of Aqraba, southeast of Nablus, leaving children struggling to breathe. Separately, Israeli forces detained two young men at a home in al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah, the radio reported. Footage shared by activists showed Israeli soldiers in the village, while images appeared to show troops forcing a young man to remove a Palestinian flag from a memorial at its entrance. The official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that Israeli forces also raided Nabi Saleh and Deir Abu Mashal, northwest of Ramallah, firing stun grenades. No casualties or arrests were reported. Near occupied East Jerusalem, Israeli forces fired stun grenades and tear gas toward vehicles at a roundabout in the town of al-Ram, according to the Palestinian Jerusalem Governorate. The incident came as Israeli troops closed the Jaba military checkpoint, causing traffic congestion in the area, the governorate said. Further north, clashes broke out between Palestinians and Israeli forces during a raid on Madama village, south of Nablus, Voice of Palestine reported. Attacks by the Israeli army and Israeli occupiers have intensified since the start of Israel's genocidal war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, including killings, arrests, home demolitions, property burnings, land bulldozing and the displacement of Palestinian communities.