Israeli forces arrest 17 Palestinians as occupiers expand West Bank outpost

Israeli forces arrested 17 Palestinians on Monday during raids across the occupied West Bank, including the son of Fathi Khazem, who was killed by the Israeli army in Jenin on Friday, while occupiers brought in new mobile homes to expand an outpost near Nablus. In Nablus province, Israeli forces arrested six Palestinians from the towns of Zita Jamma’in and Qusin, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported. Citing local and security sources, Wafa said Israeli forces stormed the towns of Zita Jamma’in, Qusin, Tell and Salem, raiding and searching homes. In Tell village, Israeli occupiers attacked several Palestinian homes in the western area, local sources told Anadolu. The sources said occupiers also brought new mobile homes to an outpost near Burin village to expand it, after previously placing several units in the area. In Jenin province, Israeli forces arrested three Palestinians, including Hammam, the son of Fathi Khazem, after raiding his home in the Al-Almaniya neighborhood of Jenin city, local sources told Anadolu. On Friday, Israeli forces raided Fathi Khazem’s home near the main roundabout in central Jenin, opened fire on him and prevented an ambulance from reaching him before withholding his body, according to Wafa. Israeli forces also stormed the towns of Meithalun, Arraba and Ya’bad in Jenin province, spreading through streets and neighborhoods, with no additional arrests reported. In Tulkarem, in the northwestern WestBank, Israeli forces arrested a Palestinian after raiding his home in the Iktaba suburb east of the city, bringing the total number of detainees since early Monday to 10. The army also stormed the town of Deir al-Ghusu, north of Tulkarem, where they raided homes and subjected Palestinians to field interrogations. In Tubas province, Israeli forces raided the Al-Faraa area south of Tubas city. In Ramallah, Israeli forces closed the western entrance to the town of Al-Mughayyir, in the northeast of the city, preventing vehicles from entering or leaving, local sources told Anadolu. They also raided the Al-Jalazone refugee camp and escorted occupiers during a raid on Khirbet al-Zaytoun in Kafr Malik village, where occupiers released their livestock onto Palestinian land, the sources added. In Qalqilya, in the northern West Bank, Israeli forces set up a military checkpoint at the city’s southern entrance, known as the Habla tunnel, stopping Palestinian vehicles and checking IDs and obstructing movement, according to Wafa. Israeli forces also stormed the town of Azzun, east of Qalqilya, patrolled its streets and carried out raids and searches, eyewitnesses told Anadolu. In a separate development, Israeli forces arrested three Palestinians from the town of Azzun in Qalqilya province, local sources told Anadolu. Israeli forces stormed the town from its main northern entrance and entered the Al-Mansour and Al-Shamiya neighborhoods, raiding, searching and damaging property in several homes, before carrying out arrests, sources said. In Hebron province, in the southern West Bank, Israeli forces arrested four Palestinians, including three from the town of Sa’ir and one from Hebron city, according to Wafa. Israeli forces raided and searched the detainees’ homes, Wafa reported. Separately, Wafa quoted rights activist Aref Daraghmeh as saying Israeli forces forced a Palestinian from the village of Ein al-Beida, in the northern Jordan Valley, to demolish several agricultural structures he owned, claiming they were built without a permit. The occupied West Bank has seen a steady escalation in Israeli army raids and occupier attacks against Palestinians since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza in October 2023.