Israel forces detain 45 Palestinians, including journalists, in West Bank

Israeli forces detained at least 45 Palestinians, including five women and two journalists, during overnight raids across the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, the Palestinian Prisoners' Society said in a statement documenting the latest sweep in the territory.

Raids across northern and southern West Bank

The organization reported that the majority of arrests occurred in Nablus and Hebron, with additional operations conducted in Qalqilya, Tulkarem and Bethlehem. Among those taken into custody was journalist Hazem Nasser, who was rearrested just two weeks after his release from detention, according to the statement. In Jenin, troops detained and questioned several Palestinians at checkpoints before releasing them without charge, the organization noted.

Pattern of targeting civilians

The organization stated that the inclusion of women and journalists among the detainees, alongside the rearrest of a recently freed prisoner, indicates a deliberate expansion of targeting across Palestinian society. Troops regularly raid homes during these operations, holding residents for extended questioning periods to intimidate families before releasing many of those initially detained, the group added. The statement also documented physical assaults, property vandalism and harsh conditions during detention and interrogation sessions.

Thousands detained since October 2023

The sweep brought the total number of arrests documented by the group to more than 26,000 across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since Israel launched its war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023. Palestinian human rights groups have consistently reported systematic violations during these near-daily military operations.