West Bank Sees Over 7,000 Palestinians Arrested Since October

RAMALLAH, West Bank – The total number of Palestinian prisoners in the West Bank has escalated to 7,060 since October 7, as reported by the Commission of Detainees’ Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoner Society on Saturday.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Israeli Army detained an additional 20 Palestinians over the past 24 hours, including a woman from Nablus, former prisoners, and relatives of a martyr from Jerusalem. The arrests were concentrated in areas such as Hebron, Ramallah, Jerusalem, Nablus, Jenin, and Salfit. The statement highlighted instances of “wide-scale acts of torture, brutal beatings, threats against prisoners and their families, in addition to widespread acts of sabotage and destruction in citizens’ homes, and the confiscation of funds and vehicles.”

Furthermore, the groups provided data indicating that the number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails has surpassed 9,000, which includes 3,484 administrative detainees and 606 labeled as ‘non-regular fighters’ from Gaza, as of the end of January. Administrative detention allows imprisonment under Israeli military orders for alleged security threats without formal charges, with the possibility of indefinite renewal every six months.

The backdrop to these arrests includes ongoing hostilities, with Israel intensifying its military actions in the Gaza Strip following an attack by Hamas on October 7. The conflict has resulted in at least 28,858 Palestinian casualties, over 68,677 injuries, and significant infrastructural damage, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the area. Conversely, the Hamas attack has claimed the lives of at least 1,200 Israelis.