BETHLEHEM, May 15, 2016 (WAFA) – Israeli occupation forces overnight and early Sunday detained four Palestinians from the West Bank districts of Bethlehem and Hebron, in addition to an elderly from Jerusalem, according to security sources.

In Bethlehem, a special force unit late Saturday night detained two Palestinian youths at a flying Israeli military checkpoint erected at the western entrance of the city of Beit Jala. They were identified as Mohammed Maher Masalmeh, 23, and Hamza Mahmoud Masalmeh, 20.

Meanwhile, Mousa A’mar, a local from Hebron city, was detained at Bethlehem’s  military checkpoint, whereas Abdel-Naser Abu Mariya, 19, was detained in the town of Beit Ummar during an Israeli military raid into the town.

Forces further raided a number of Palestinian homes in the town centre and al-Dhahir area, located adjacent to the Israeli settlement of Karmi Tsur, built illegally on Palestinian-owned land. However no further arrests were made.

In Jerusalem, Israeli police detained a Palestinian elderly after raiding and searching his home in Abu Deis town to the southeast of Jerusalem. He was identified as Mahoud ‘Ayyad. To be noted, ‘Ayyad’s son, Samer, a doctor, was detained three days ago from inside his dental clinic.

The town’s locals reportedly attempted to fend off the Israeli army’s raid into the town, throwing rocks and empty glass bottles at soldiers, who responded by throwing stun grenades and tear gas canisters toward the former before withdrawing from the town. No injuries were reported.

T.R.