HEBRON, August 22, 2011 (WAFA) – More than 55 Palestinians were injured in Israeli raids on Hebron governorate south of the West Bank on Sunday night and early Monday, said medical sources.

The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that over 55 Palestinians were injured by rubber bullets, tear gas and physical assault during Israeli raids and clashes that broke out around Hebron city and neighboring towns, in a further escalation of the Israeli military campaign on the Palestinian Territory following the death of eight Israelis in an armed shooting attack in southern Israel last Thursday.

Israeli soldiers conducted an explosion inside the house of Mahmoud Qawasmi, who has been in Israeli prison for seven years, damaging the house contents, terrorizing its eight residents and detaining them for several hours.

Over 20 Israeli army vehicles headed to Abu Katileh valley northwest of Hebron, imposed a strict military cordon around the area, detained and interrogated dozens of Palestinians, raided several houses and prevented ambulances from getting through.

Meanwhile, clashes broke out between Palestinian youth and Israeli soldiers around the Palestinian-Israeli demarcation lines, where Palestinians threw stones and empty glass bottles at Israeli soldiers, who responded with gunfire and tear gas.

Israeli reinforcements clashed with Palestinians in Tariq Ibn Ziyad junction south of the city and chased them. No arrests were reported. The Israeli raids extended to reach Halhoul, Dora and al-Dhahiriyyah towns north and south of Hebron governorate.

R.Q./F.J.