WEST BANK, (The Palestinian Information Center)The Israeli forces imposed on Thursday evening a complete siege on Tulkarem in the northern West Bank, launching a wide-scale arrest and field investigation campaign affecting dozens of civilians.
This came after two Israeli soldiers were reportedly injured by an explosive device detonated beneath a military vehicle in the Tulkarem area.
Israeli Army Radio reported that the military had “imposed a cordon on the Tulkarem area following the incident.”
Local sources confirmed that the army closed the iron gates at the southern and eastern entrances of Tulkarem, preventing vehicular movement.
The sources added that Israeli forces stormed shops and cafés in the city center, detaining everyone inside or in their cars, forcing them to walk in long lines toward the road leading to the Khadoori military checkpoint.
The occupation army also deployed more armored vehicles and a bulldozer in the area. Soldiers seized surveillance camera footage from several businesses after raiding them.
The Governor of Tulkarem, Abdullah Kamil, issued an urgent appeal to the international community, the United Nations General Assembly, the UN Human Rights Council, humanitarian and human rights institutions, and all freedom-loving people around the world to take immediate action to halt the ongoing Israeli assault on Tulkarem Governorate and its residents.
In an official statement, Kamil said that the Israeli occupation army has launched a wide-scale aggression against the Tulkarem area, marked by mass arbitrary arrests of more than 1,000 Palestinian citizens so far. The assault also includes home invasions, destruction of property, and terrorizing of children and women.
He added that “what is happening on the ground in Tulkarem is part of a systematic policy by the Israeli occupation”, with the assault continuing since January 27, aiming to break the steadfastness and will of the Palestinian people by targeting unarmed civilians and committing severe acts of collective punishment.
Kamil warned of the serious humanitarian consequences of these crimes and called on the international community to uphold its moral and legal responsibilities, to take urgent steps to stop these violations, protect the Palestinian people, and hold Israel accountable for its crimes.
Also on Thursday evening, the Israeli forces stormed the town of Kafr Aqab, north of Occupied Jerusalem.
Local sources reported that the Israeli army and its special units raided Kafr Aqab, firing stun grenades and toxic tear gas.
They added that the forces entered the Al-Zaghir and Samira Mays neighborhoods, blocked vehicular access to Ramallah, and forced shop owners along the main street to shut down their businesses.
Troops also fired flares into the sky and stormed a residential building in the town.
In a related development, Israeli forces also raided the town of Al-Ram, north of the occupied city, firing tear gas and stun grenades. No injuries were reported.
