22,000 Palestinians detained in West Bank since Israeli war on Gaza began

WEST BANK, Feb. 13 (YPA) – Israeli occupation forces have detained around 22,000 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since the start of Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza in October 2023, according to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club.

The figure includes those who remain behind bars as well as those later released, marking an unprecedented surge in arrests over just two and a half years.

The number does not include thousands detained in Gaza or arrests of Palestinian citizens of Israel.

In a statement on Thursday, the Ramallah-based rights club said arrest raids were continuing at a worringly “escalating pace”.

At least 40 Palestinians were detained between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning alone, including four women and a child, as well as former prisoners.

The club accused Israeli occupation forces of carrying out “unprecedented crimes and violations” during arrest operations, including severe beatings, systematic intimidation of detainees and their families, widespread destruction of homes, and the confiscation of vehicles, cash and gold jewellery.

It said infrastructure has been damaged, family homes demolished, and relatives “taken hostage” in a bid to pressure prisoners.

@E.Y.M