RAMALLAH, May 8, 2025 (WAFA) – Israeli occupation forces have detained at least 45 citizens from the West Bank since yesterday evening until Thursday morning.
The Detainees and Ex-Detainees Commission and the Palestine Prisoners Society (PPS) said in a joint statement on Thursday that the detainees include children and former prisoners.
The detention and field investigations took place in the Hebron and Salfit governorates, accompanied by attacks and severe beatings against detainees and their families, in addition to the vandalism and destruction of citizens' homes.
The most prominent attacks were against the family of the slain Palestinian youth Abdul Fattah Haribat.
The occupation has continued its incursions into the cities of Jenin and Tulkarm for months, which, in addition to intensive arrest campaigns, have witnessed field executions that have killed dozens, forced displacement of thousands, destruction of infrastructure, and home demolitions.
It's worth noting that these detentions come amid the comprehensive aggression waged by the occupation against our people since the beginning of the war of extermination. During this time, the occupation has arrested approximately 17,000 citizens from the West Bank, in addition to dozens of Palestinian workers and thousands from Gaza.
The occupation forces frequently raid Palestinian houses almost daily across the West Bank on the pretext of searching for “wanted” Palestinians, triggering clashes with residents.
These raids are conducted without the need for a search warrant, whenever and wherever the military chooses, in keeping with its sweeping arbitrary powers.
Under Israeli military law, army commanders have full executive, legislative, and judicial authority over 3 million Palestinians living in the West Bank. Palestinians have no say in how this authority is exercised.
According to the latest figures from Addameer, the Palestinian Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, there are currently 9,900 Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli prisons and detention centers, including 400 child prisoners, 27 female prisoners, and five members of the Palestinian Legislative Council.
This number includes approximately 3,498 Palestinians placed under “administrative detention”, which allows the detention of Palestinians without charge or trial for renewable intervals ranging between three and six months based on undisclosed evidence that even a detainee’s lawyer is barred from viewing.
The mass arrest of Palestinians is nothing new. According to a 2017 report by Addameer, over the past 50 years, more than 800,000 Palestinians have been imprisoned or detained by Israel; this figure is now believed to be closer to 1 million. This means that about 40% of Palestinian men and boys living under military occupation have been deprived of their freedom. Almost every Palestinian family has suffered the imprisonment of a loved one.
K.T
