Israeli army detains 12 more Palestinians in occupied West Bank

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – The Israeli army has detained 12 more Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

According to a joint statement issued by the Prisoners and Ex-Prisoners Affairs Authority and the Palestinian Prisoners Society, the new arrests brought the total number of Palestinians detained by the Israeli forces since October 7 to 6,500.

The latest arrests took place mostly in the Dheisheh camp in Bethlehem, while the rest took place in the governorates of Jenin, Nablus, Tubas and Tulkarm.

During the Israeli arrest campaigns, soldiers also beat, abused, and interrogated several Palestinians, as well as damaged their homes and other properties, the statement noted.

In their annual report, both groups said there were 8,800 Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails as of December 31, 2023, including 80 women.

Official Israeli data transmitted by the Israeli Human Rights Defense Center HaMoked revealed the presence of about 9,000 Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, including administrative detainees.

Administrative detention is a controversial Israeli policy that authorizes arrest without evidence of crime, based entirely on suspicion. Administrative detention is indefinite and provides no access to a trial.

Tensions have been high across the West Bank since Israel launched a deadly military offensive against the Gaza Strip on October 7.

At least 27,238 Palestinians have been killed — mostly women and children — and 66,452 others injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.