Israel arrests 13 in overnight raids across West Bank

Israeli forces raided villages across the West Bank before dawn Monday, detaining at least 13 Palestinians including a popular resistance leader in Hebron, officials said. Mousa Abu Maria, a member of the popular committee against the wall and settlements in Beit Ummar, said Israeli forces detained Ahmad Abu Hashem, 43, and his son Muhammad, 17, in the same village. He said the soldiers raided the house and assaulted the detainees. Also near Hebron, the Israeli military raided al-Arrub refugee camp and detained three people. They were identified as Alaa Hilmi Abu Ghazi, Rabah Bilal Fdeilat, and Yousef Mohammad Abu Afia. They were taken to an undisclosed location. Clashes erupted between Palestinians and Israeli forces during the raid. Israeli forces fired tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets. In Tulkarem in the northern West Bank, Israeli forces detained two young men in raids. Witnesses told Ma’an that military jeeps stormed Tulkarem and detained 25-year-old Hasib al-Ali. The soldiers also assaulted al-Ali's younger brother Dhirgham causing serious bruises, the witnesses added. Separately, troops raided Qaffin village north of Tulkarem and detained 21-year-old Abdullah Asaad Aqil. During the raid, soldiers assaulted 31-year-old Nabil Abu Tahoun, a former prisoner. An Israeli army spokeswoman confirmed 13 arrests overall. She said the other Palestinians were detained in the Nablus, Qalqiliya and Ramallah areas. Two Palestinians were also detained in al-Khader, near Bethlehem, she said. Early Sunday, Israeli forces detained 31 Palestinians across the West Bank, a military spokesman said.