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BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces on Friday detained at least eight Palestinians and delivered demolition orders to the families of five Palestinian attackers in predawn raids across the occupied West Bank.

An Israeli army spokesperson said four Palestinians were detained in Nablus district and four in Ramallah. She said seven were "Hamas operatives," while the eighth, northwest of Ramallah, was detained for "illegal activities."

Palestinians sources identified four of the detainees as Hassan Urdnniyyeh in Nablus, Anas al-Barghouthi in the village of Kobar near Ramallah, and Tareq al-Sheikh and Jihad Hmeidan in the town of Biddu east of Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, Palestinian sources said Israeli forces delivered demolition orders to the families of five Palestinians alleged to have carried out attacks on Israelis.

The orders were delivered to the families of Amjad Eleiwi and Zaid Amer from Nablus, both now in Israeli custody, as well as the families of Ihab Maswadeh from Hebron and Omar Assaf and Anan Abu Habseh from Qalandiya refugee camp, all of whom were shot dead.

Punitive home demolitions were expedited at the request of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in mid-October, and many have been carried out since.

The move came despite past recommendations by an Israeli military committee that the practice does not deter attacks.

Israeli rights group B’Tselem condemned the practice in October as "court sanctioned revenge," carried out on family members who have not committed crimes, amounting to collective punishment.
There are now nearly 7,000 Palestinians being held in Israeli prisons.

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