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Israeli forces raid several West Bank towns, confrontations ensue

By Al Mayadeen English
1 Jan 2024 08:11
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Israeli occupation forces raid several Palestinian towns and homes, leading to fierce confrontations across the West Bank.

Israeli occupation forces arrest two Palestinian men during a military raid in the Askar refugee camp near the occupied West Bank city of Nablus, occupied Palestine, December 31, 2023. (AP)

The Israeli occupation forces kicked off the new year with numerous raids and incursions in the occupied West Bank, which led to fierce confrontations from the locals who sought to defend their homes.

The Israeli occupation forces raided the town of Silwad east of Ramallah before they ransacked the homes of several of its residents.

An IOF infantry force raided the town of Hableh south of Qalqilya, which led the latter's residents to lock down its entrance by burning tires in a bid to stop the Israeli occupation forces from raiding the city.

The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades - Qalqilya announced that its Resistance fighters attacked the "Zufim" checkpoint east of the city with a locally manufactured improvised explosive device (IED).

After the attack, the IOF raided the town of Beit Amr north of al-Khalil before raiding several homes in it.

The series of raids culminated in fierce confrontations in the Shuafat refugee camp in occupied al-Quds, wherein the locals attacked the Israeli occupation forces attempting to invade the camp at dawn.

Another round of violent confrontations broke out during a raid on the town of Beit Iba west of Nablus in the occupied West Bank.

Repeated attacks on West Bank

Palestinian media have reported that units from the Israeli occupation forces raided various areas of cities and camps in the West Bank on Saturday at dawn. The reports confirmed confrontations as Palestinian youth confronted the occupation's incursions.

According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, a young man was admitted to the hospital after being assaulted by IOF troops during the incursion into the town of Rujeib, east of Nablus, in the north-central West Bank.

Occupation forces conducted an extensive series of raids in Rujeib, targeting not only residential areas but also the residences of doctors and employees, as part of their incursion into the eastern region of Nablus.

Local Palestinian media 0confirmed violent confrontations between Palestinian youth and the occupation forces in the town of Qasra, south of Nablus, during an Israeli incursion into the town. Additionally, reports confirm that occupation forces carried out a raid in the town of Beita, south of the city. It added that the Israeli occupation forces arrested two young men at a military checkpoint near the village of Qusin, west of Nablus.

In Jenin, located in the northern West Bank, the Israeli occupation forces stormed the town of Barta'a, situated south of the city. They later withdrew from the raid into the town of Ya'bad, southwest of Jenin. The withdrawal occurred during the aftermath of confrontations that ensued during their initial incursion.

Moreover, confrontations broke out between Resistance fighters and Israeli occupation forces in the city of Qalqilya, located west of the central West Bank. According to local Palestinian media, Israeli forces were targeted with homemade explosive devices during the confrontations in the town of Azzun, east of the city.

Violence 'alarming'

UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric called in a statement on Friday the surge in violence in the occupied West Bank, triggered by Israeli security operations and settlers that are actively targeting Palestinians, is profoundly concerning.

"The escalating violence in the occupied West Bank, including intensified Israeli security forces operations, high numbers of fatalities, settler violence, and attacks on Israelis by Palestinians, is extremely alarming," the statement read.

This comes after the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a report describing the worsening safety conditions Palestinians in the West Bank and Occupied al-Quds have been subjected to by the Israeli occupation since its monstrous war on Gaza on October 7.

The UN urged "Israel" to "end the unlawful killings" of Palestinians under the badge of human rights, which have deteriorated into nothingness as a result of brutal settler and military violence.