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BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) -- Israeli forces detained at least 18 Palestinians across the occupied West Bank during predawn raids on Thursday, according to Israeli and Palestinian sources.

In the northern West Bank district of Nablus, Israeli forces detained seven Palestinian youths over their alleged involvement with the Hamas movement. However, Palestinian sources did not provide further details. An Israeli army spokesperson confirmed the number of detentions.

To the south, in the West Bank district of Hebron, four Palestinian youths were detained in the city of Hebron , according to Palestinian local sources. An Israeli army spokesperson also reported four arrests in Hebron. The youths have not been identified.

Meanwhile, two Palestinians were detained in the Qalandiya refugee camp in the central district of Ramallah according to local sources. An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma’an one Palestinian was detained in Qalandiya.

Israeli forces also carried out raids in the al-Duheisha refugee camp in the Bethlehem district, detaining four Palestinians before clashes erupted between Palestinian youths and Israeli soldiers, according to locals. The detainees were identified by locals as Raghad Shamrouk, Karam Nasri Abd al-Rabbu, Hamdi Maruf al-Atrash, and Bilal al-Meiwi. An Israeli army spokesperson confirmed that three Palestinians were detained in al-Duheisha.

Israeli forces reportedly opened live ammunition on Palestinian youths in the refugee camp, while also shooting tear gas and stun grenades into the community. According to Palestinian Authority (PA)-owned news agency Wafa, at least three Palestinians were injured on their feet and transferred to a hospital for medical treatment.

An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma'an she would look into reports on the clashes.

Raids were also carried out in the village of al-Walaja in Bethlehem, with an Israeli army spokesperson telling Ma’an that one Palestinian was detained in the village.

According to prisoners’ rights group Addameer, 7,000 Palestinians were held in Israeli prisons as of May. The group estimates that 40 percent of Palestinian men have been detained by Israel at some point in their lives.
Israeli forces have carried out a weekly average of 83 search and detention campaigns on Palestinian communities since the start of 2016, according to UN documentation.

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