Israeli army shoots Palestinian teen, arrests 32 in West Bank raids

Israeli forces shot a 16-year-old Palestinian in the chest with live ammunition during a raid on the town of Bani Naim east of Hebron on Thursday, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. The teenager was transferred to a hospital for treatment after being wounded in the assault, which involved several military vehicles and heavy gunfire, the medical group said in a statement.

Eyewitnesses told Anadolu that Israeli troops stormed the town with multiple vehicles and opened fire with live rounds, injuring the youth. The raid formed part of broader Israeli military operations across the occupied territory that have intensified dramatically since October 2023.

Mass arrests across West Bank

The Israeli army arrested 32 Palestinians during widespread raids across West Bank cities and towns on the same day, according to the Prisoners' Media Office. The arrests targeted former prisoners and young men in Hebron, Bethlehem, Qalqilya, Tubas, Tulkarem and occupied Jerusalem, the nongovernmental group said.

Thirteen of the detainees were seized in the town of Beit Ummar north of Hebron, while the remaining arrests occurred in other provinces. The operations involved home raids, property searches, vandalism of belongings and field interrogations of residents, the group added.

Mounting toll since October

The occupied West Bank has witnessed escalating Israeli army attacks since October 2023 that have killed 1,179 Palestinians and injured nearly 13,000 others, according to official Palestinian figures released this week. Around 24,000 Palestinians have been arrested during the same period, including former prisoners and minors.

The violence has continued unabated despite international calls for restraint, with near-daily raids conducted in major Palestinian population centers.