WEST BANK, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) and settlers escalated their attacks across several areas of the West Bank early on Friday, carrying out raids and arresting approximately 20 Palestinians, including director of the Ibrahimi Mosque in al-Khalil Mutaz Hafez Abu Sneineh.
The attacks also targeted Palestinian farmers and agricultural land in Ramallah and Salfit, where IOF fired tear gas at olive harvesters and settlers set olive trees ablaze during the harvest season.
IOF arrests director of Ibrahimi Mosque
In al-Khalil, IOF troops arrested nine Palestinians after raiding several neighborhoods, storming homes, conducting searches, and damaging residents’ belongings.
The arrests included Mutaz Hafez Abu Sneineh, director of the Ibrahimi Mosque, and Hammam Abu Markhiya, head of the Mosque’s custodial staff. Both were arrested at their workplace inside the Mosque compound.
In the town of Yatta, south of al-Khalil, IOF troops raided several Palestinian homes and searched them. No arrests were reported.
Arrest campaign targets former Palestinian prisoners
In Qalqilya Governorate, Israeli forces raided the village of Kafr Qaddum, east of Qalqilya, and arrested brothers Mahmoud and Mohammed Amjad Shtaywi, along with Samir Shtaywi and Murad Shtaywi.
During a separate raid on Qalqilya city, the IOF arrested five former Palestinian prisoners.
In Nablus Governorate, Israeli forces stormed the town of Beita, south of Nablus, raided several homes, searched them, and damaged their contents before arresting two former prisoners.
In Tulkarem, Israeli forces arrested a young Palestinian man near Shuweika Roundabout.
Armed settlers attack areas north of Ramallah
In Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate, dozens of armed Jewish settlers broke into the area between the village of Surda and the al-Reihan neighborhood north of Ramallah on Friday morning.
According to local sources, the settlers carried out provocative patrols through the streets, threw stones at Palestinian vehicles, fired live ammunition into the air, and damaged a memorial in the area.
The incident comes amid continued settler attacks targeting Palestinian residents and their property across the occupied West Bank.
Meanwhile, in the town of Abwein, north of Ramallah, Israeli forces fired tear gas canisters at Palestinian olive harvesters. They prevented them from reaching their agricultural land in the Wadi al-Laban and Gharaba areas east of the town.
Local sources said the attacks against farmers continued for a second consecutive day, disrupting their access to olive groves and preventing them from harvesting their crops.
The restrictions have placed additional pressure on Palestinian farming families during the annual olive harvest, a vital source of income for many households.
Settlers set olive trees on fire in Salfit
In Salfit Governorate, IOF troops raided Salfit City early on Friday, storming and searching several Palestinian homes while deploying troops across multiple neighborhoods.
In a separate settler attack, Jewish settlers set fire to olive trees in the Wadi al-Shaer area between Salfit City and the town of al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya.
The area has experienced repeated settler attacks, including assaults on farmers working their land, theft of olive crops, and damage to Palestinian vehicles.
These incidents come amid escalating attacks against Palestinian agricultural land and livelihoods during the olive harvest season.
Palestinian child shot during Israeli raid near Jenin
In a separate attack on Thursday evening, a 13-year-old Palestinian boy was injured by Israeli gunfire during a military raid on the town of al-Yamun, west of Jenin, in the northern occupied West Bank.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society reported that its medical teams treated the child for a live bullet wound to the foot.
Israeli forces stormed the town and fired live ammunition, tear gas canisters, and stun grenades toward Palestinian residents and their homes.
Israeli attacks intensify across the West Bank
Since the beginning of Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023, attacks by Israeli forces and settlers have intensified across the West Bank, including Occupied Jerusalem.
According to Palestinian figures cited in the report, these attacks have killed 1,210 Palestinians, injured approximately 13,350 others, and resulted in the arrest of 26,000 Palestinians.
