RAMALLAH, Sunday, May 26, 2024 (WAFA) — Israeli occupation forces have arrested at least 20 Palestinian citizens, including children and former detainees, in a series of raids carried out over the last few hours across the occupied West Bank, according to a joint statement by the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) and the Authority of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs.
The arrests took place across several governorates of the West Bank, including Bethlehem, Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron, Jenin, and Jerusalem.
According to the joint statement, these raids were accompanied by extensive home invasions, abuse, and widespread destruction of property.
The statement also highlighted that since October 7 of the previous year, the total number of Palestinians arrested by Israeli occupation forces has risen to over 8,875. This figure includes those detained from their homes, at military checkpoints, those who surrendered under pressure, and those held as hostages.
The statement emphasized that these arrest campaigns are a key systematic policy used by Israeli forces. They serve as a primary tool of collective punishment, which has become central to the occupation's strategy of targeting Palestinians amidst the ongoing aggression on Gaza since October 7.
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