Israel forces raid occupied West Bank town, injure dozens of Palestinians

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 20 August 2023 9:39 AM

Dozens of Palestinians have sustained injuries after Israeli troops stormed the northern part of the West Bank, amid stepped-up deadly violence by Israeli forces and extremist settlers against Palestinians in the occupied area.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) announced in a statement that its paramedics provided medical assistance to at least 72 people in Beita, located 13 kilometers (8.1 miles) southeast of Nablus, on Saturday evening, as they were suffering breathing difficulties as a result of inhaling excessive tear gas used by Israeli forces to suppress protest rallies in the town.

A journalist was also struck in the leg by a tear gas canister fired during skirmishes.

The PRCS added that one of its crew members managed to evacuate a family of five, including children, from a car they were aboard as Israeli soldiers were using tear gas intensively.

Israeli forces also broke into a mosque and a store in Beita to confiscate security camera recordings.

Earlier, the troops closed the main military checkpoints in southern Nablus, intensified security measures in and around the region, and forced businesses in Huwara town to close down.

The Israeli military put its forces on high alert and deployed more soldiers in Nablus after two Jewish settlers were fatally shot at a carwash in Huwara town on Saturday afternoon.

Following the retaliatory shooting incident, Israeli forces abducted three Palestinian citizens from Huwara.

Another Palestinian was kidnapped by Israeli soldiers at a makeshift checkpoint near Qalqilya as he was en route to his workplace.

Moreover, four Palestinian citizens suffered gunshot wounds last night during confrontations with Israeli forces as the latter raided the city of Tulkarm and the nearby refugee camp.

Local sources told the official Palestinian news agency WAFA that a young man was shot in the face with live ammunition, another suffered shrapnel wounds to the hand, and two others were run over by an Israeli military jeep while riding a motorcycle.

The injured were subsequently rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Confrontations erupted in the Tulkarm refugee camp after Israeli forces invaded it, and fired live rounds, stun grenades and tear gas canisters.

Israeli military sniper units were positioned in the vicinity and entrances of the camp. However, no arrests were reported during the Israeli incursion.

The Israeli regime launched raids on various cities of the West Bank almost on a daily basis under the pretext of detaining what it calls "wanted" Palestinians. The raids usually lead to violent confrontations with residents.

Over the past months, Israel has ramped up attacks on Palestinian towns and cities throughout the occupied territories. As a result of these attacks, dozens of Palestinians have lost their lives and many others have been arrested.

More than 200 Palestinians have been killed this year in the occupied Palestinian territories and Gaza. The majority of these fatalities have been recorded in the West Bank.

At least 32 people have been killed in Palestinian retaliatory attacks against Israeli settlers during that time.

Hamas hails Palestinian prisoners for achieving their demands

Meanwhile, the Gaza-based Hamas resistance movement has hailed Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons for achieving their demands after they staged a mass hunger strike.

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said in a statement that accommodation of Palestinian prisoners' demands proves that all attempts to undermine the inmates' determination are doomed to failure.

For his part, the director of Asra Media Office, Ahmed al-Qudra, stressed that Palestinian resistance factions are ready to participate in a comprehensive plan in support of Palestinian prisoners against any Israeli assault.

The High National Emergency Committee of the Palestinian Prisoners' Movement on Friday announced the suspension of the mass hunger strike launched by Palestinian prisoners inside Israeli detention centers, adding that their rights were obtained.

The committee underlined that the hunger strike came as a response to punitive measures imposed by far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

There are reportedly more than 7,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails. Human rights organizations say Israel violates all the rights and freedoms granted to prisoners by the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Palestinian prisoners are held for lengthy periods without being charged, tried, or convicted, which is in blatant violation of human rights. Advocacy groups describe Israel's use of detention as a "bankrupt tactic" and have long called on Israel to end its use.

The IPS keeps Palestinian prisoners under deplorable conditions lacking proper hygienic standards. The prisoners have also been subjected to systematic torture, harassment, and repression all through the years of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories.

According to the Palestine Detainees Studies Center, about 60% of the Palestinian prisoners detained in Israeli jails suffer from chronic diseases, a number of whom died in detention or after being released due to the severity of their cases.

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