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BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces detained 12 Palestinians during overnight raids Saturday across the occupied West Bank, Palestinian and Israeli sources said.

Witnesses told Ma’an Israeli forces detained eight Palestinians after raiding several areas in the district of Hebron.

They were identified by locals as Yunis Kawazbah from the village of Sair east of Hebron City; Muhib al-Najmi; Muayad Abu Sil from al-Arrub refugee camp; Muhammad Hussein,76; former prisoner Musa Muhammad Ziyadat; Ali Hasan Khalil from the village of Bani Naim; as well as Abdullah al-Qasas and Abd al-Basit Ghayth, both from al-Fawwar refugee camp.

Israeli forces also detained former prisoner Ashraf Daraghmah from Tubas in the northern West Bank, Muhannad Abu Akar from Nahalin and Salman al-Hrub from Wadi Fukin in the southern district of Bethlehem, and Zuheir Humaidan al-Khadur from Biddu east of Jerusalem in the central West Bank.

An Israeli army spokesperson confirmed 11 of the 12 detentions, adding that four of those detained were suspected Hamas operatives.

Meanwhile, in overnight raids Friday, Israeli forces detained Abd-al-Rahman Sadi Irtaysh from the village of Tarqumiya west of Hebron after searching and ransacking his home.

Since the start of 2016, Israeli forces have conducted a weekly average of 90 search and detention operations in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to UN documentation.

According to Palestinian prisoners’ rights group Addameer, 7,000 Palestinians are being held in Israeli custody. The organization estimates that 40 percent of Palestinian men have been detained by Israel at least once in their lives.

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