Palestinian wounded by Israeli gunfire, 4 detained in occupied West Bank raids

A Palestinian was wounded by Israeli army gunfire Friday evening, while four others, including a groom, were detained during raids in the occupied West Bank, according to local sources and official media. In the town of Jaba, south of Jenin, local sources said Israeli forces raided the home of Palestinian Aysar Saleh Hamamreh, vandalized its contents, damaged solar panels and stole property. The sources estimated the material losses at around 200,000 shekels (62,000 dollars).

Israeli forces later raided the town, firing live ammunition and tear gas. A 27-year-old Palestinian was wounded by live fire, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. In Al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah, Israeli forces stormed a wedding hall and fired tear gas toward around 150 guests, the official Wafa news agency reported. Soldiers detained four Palestinians from inside the hall, including groom Hassan Abu Alia, and assaulted them before releasing them several hours later, Wafa said.

Attacks by the Israeli army and Israeli settlers against Palestinians and their property in the occupied West Bank have intensified since the start of Israel's war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023. The attacks have included killings, arrests, demolitions of homes and other structures, arson and the destruction of agricultural land, alongside settlement expansion and the displacement of residents. Palestinians warn that such practices are paving the way for Israel's formal annexation of the West Bank, undermining prospects for an independent Palestinian state in accordance with relevant UN resolutions.