Israeli forces arrest 55 more Palestinians in occupied West Bank

The Israeli army has arrested 55 Palestinians in various areas of the occupied West Bank, bringing the total number of detainees since last weekend to 455, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Club.

“Israeli forces arrested 55 Palestinians from cities and towns in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem,” club spokesperson Amani Farajneh said on Sunday.

The Israeli army has arrested more than 455 Palestinians since October 7, coinciding with the start of the Israeli war on Gaza, Farajneh added.

There was no comment from the Israeli authorities on the group’s statement.

An Anadolu correspondent also monitored an arrest campaign carried out by the Israeli army in the Al Amari refugee camp near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.

Israel has a total of 5,800 Palestinians detained in its prisons, according to the Prisoners’ Club.

Crippling siege worsens

In a dramatic escalation of Middle East tensions last weekend, Israeli forces launched a sustained and forceful military campaign against Gaza, a response to a military offensive by the Palestinian group Hamas in Israeli territories.

The conflict began when Hamas initiated Operation Al Aqsa Flood against Israel, a multi-pronged surprise attack including a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel via land, sea, and air.

Hamas said the operation was in retaliation for the storming of Al Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and Israeli settlers’ growing violence against Palestinians.

The Israeli military then launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets within the besieged Gaza.

Israel's response has extended into cutting water and electricity supplies to the Palestinian enclave, further worsening the living conditions in an area that has endured a crippling siege since 2007, as well as ordering over 1 million Palestinians in northern Gaza to evacuate to the south.