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RAMALLAH (Ma’an) -- Israeli forces detained at least 31 Palestinians, including one lawmaker and four minors, in overnight detention raids in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem between Wednesday and Thursday, Israeli and Palestinian sources told Ma’an.

Israeli forces carry out detention raids across the occupied Palestinian territory on a near-nightly basis, with the UN recording an average of 95 weekly raids in the West Bank in 2016, and 73 weekly raids on average thus far in 2017.

According to prisoners’ rights group Addameer, 6,500 Palestinians were held in Israeli prisons as of January, which included four members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC).

Southern West Bank

In Hebron, the southernmost West Bank district, the Palestinian Prisoner’s Society (PPS) reported the detentions of eight Palestinians, including PLC member Samira al-Halaiqa, who locals said was detained in al-Shuyukh.

An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma’an that a “Hamas terror operative” was detained in al-Shuyukh.

Al-Halaiqa’s detention occurred three days after Israeli forces detained Palestinian lawmakers Khalid Tafish and Anwar Zboun, both deputies of the Change and Reform bloc in the PLC.

PPS identified the other Hebron-area detainees as Mutasim Faruq Masalma, Mahmoud Raed Masalma, brothers Majid and Mursi al-Ajlouni, Rami Idris, Khalid Awwad, and Tariq Rshidat.

Locals told Ma’an that the two Masalmas were detained in Beit Awwa, while the al-Ajlounis and Idris were detained in the city of Hebron.

Local sources added that Khalid Muhammad Zaaqiaa was detained in the village of Beit Ummar.

In the Bethlehem district, PPS reported that Muhammad Mahmoud Abu Shuka, a Palestinian from the besieged Gaza Strip, was detained at the Container checkpoint.

Central West Bank and East Jerusalem

In occupied East Jerusalem, locals said that Israeli forces detained at least three Palestinian boys between the ages of 11 and 15 from the neighborhood of Silwan, identifying them as Hussam al-Zaghal, Rami al-Julani, and Malik al-Qaisi.

PPS confirmed the detentions, adding that Muhammad Alqam, Jawad Abu Sneineh, and minor Muhammad Mustafa were also detained in East Jerusalem.

In the central occupied West Bank district of Jerusalem, PPS said that Mahmoud Hassan al-Luzi and Ahmad Hassan Mteir were detained in the Qalandiya refugee camp.

The Israeli army spokesperson told Ma’an confirmed two detentions in Qalandiya, and mentioned another detention in the Jerusalem-district village of Qatanna.

PPS said Diyaa Rizq Hmeidat and Hazim Mahmoud Hanoun were detained in the Ramallah district. Locals said Hanoun was detained in the village of Budrus.

Meanwhile, PPS said Imad Raja Ayyash was detained in the village of Rafat in the Salfit district. The Israeli army confirmed one detention in Rafat.

Northern West Bank

PPS said Mahmoud Kayid Abu Adwan, Ibrahim Talal Shrem, and Nidal Ahmad Hussein were detained in the Qalqiliya district, while Mahmoud Hussein Abu Hamza, 20, Muthana Abd al-Rahim al-Masri, 23, and Issa Omar Odeh, 24 were detained in the Tulkarem district.

The Israeli army said that three alleged “Hamas operatives” were detained in Tulkarem.

In the Nablus district, PPS report the detentions of Jihad Nashata, Assif Taim, and Suleiman Uweis.

Locals said Nashata and Taim were detained in the village of Qabalan, while Uweis was from the village of al-Lubban al-Sharqiya.

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