(The Hill) — In a sweeping overnight operation from Friday into Saturday, Israeli forces apprehended over 70 individuals across the West Bank following a fatal incident in a northern Palestinian village that claimed the lives of two Israeli soldiers and four Palestinians.
The Associated Press reported that the Israeli military issued a statement detailing their efforts to search more than 300 sites, targeting individuals they labeled as Hamas affiliates, arms dealers, and other suspected militants. Among those detained, 11 were arrested in Tell, a location in the northern West Bank where Friday’s lethal confrontations took place.
According to Amin Shuman, head of the Palestinian higher commission for the affairs of prisoners, the overall number of arrested Palestinians across the West Bank surpassed 80. Shuman accused Israel of enacting “collective punitive measures and retaliatory policies.”
On Saturday, Israeli military presence persisted in Tell, as local accounts highlighted ongoing extensive military maneuvers, including a significant operation at Nablus Specialty Hospital in nearby Nablus city.
Hospital director Ghassan Barkat conveyed to the AP that on Friday, “over 50 armed soldiers and officers stormed the hospital, causing widespread panic among patients.” He reported that the raid resulted in the detention of both staff and patients, and the arrest of an injured Palestinian under the watchful eyes of women and children.
“This should not happen in a healthcare institution,” Barket said to the outlet.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said four Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire during the clashes. The Israeli military confirmed that two Israeli soldiers were killed, including one who served in a local settler defense squad. Two other Israelis and four Palestinians were wounded.
While a fragile ceasefire has largely halted large-scale fighting, Israel has continued carrying out airstrikes in Gaza, where Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.