West Bank: Israeli forces blow up apartment in violent Tubas raid, detain Palestinians

Israeli forces launched a large-scale raid on the West Bank city of Tubas over the weekend, in the latest bout of Israeli violence in the occupied territory.

The army blew up a residential apartment following a 13-hour raid, where they detained several Palestinians while damaging infrastructure in the city’s streets.

Two minors were among those detained in the incursion.

According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, Israeli soldiers forced residents out of the apartment, planting explosives inside before detonating the residence, causing a loud explosion that could be heard across the city.

The apartment reportedly belonged to the Abu Zaida family, Tubas’ Fatah Secretary Mahmoud Sawafta told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, The New Arab’s Arabic-language sister site.

Videos shared on Palestinian news websites showed the Israeli army storming the city on Saturday around 7pm local time with a large number of military vehicles, deploying them throughout Tubas. The Israeli army also closed its southern entrance with earth mounds.

The Israeli military also razed streets, damaged public property and bulldozed Tubas’ main road, leaving behind piles of debris and making it impossible for vehicles to drive.

Several homes were also turned into military outposts, Wafa said, according to witnesses.

Earlier on Saturday, two Israeli soldiers were moderately injured by an explosive device during the early stages of the raid, the Israeli army confirmed.

Across the occupied Palestinian territory, at least 19 Palestinians were arrested by Israeli soldiers, including four in Tubas.

Six others were arrested in Nablus. In Salfit, four people were arrested - including council member Omar Abdel Razek.

In Sanniriya, south of Qalqilya, two brothers of a former Palestinian prisoner were arrested. Othman Younes was among the Palestinian prisoners deported to Egypt after recently being freed in the Gaza peace plan deal earlier this week.

In the village of Deir Abu Mash’al located west of Ramallah, a 15-year-old was among the three people detained.

The Israeli military conducted several other raids across the territory. In the Al-Ein refugee camp in Nablus, forces killed 42-year-old Majed Mohammed Dawood after shooting him several times in the abdomen and limbs.

Dawood was declared dead upon arrival at hospital, despite efforts from medical staff.

A 22-year-old man was also injured by Israeli bullets in the raid on the camp.

The intensified raids come as the first phase of the Gaza peace plan came into effect last week. The incursions are also a part of the wider violence unleashed onto the West Bank following the outbreak of the war in Gaza, over two years ago.

At least 1,054 Palestinians people have been killed by soldiers and settlers in the West Bank since, while over 20,000 have been arrested, including 1,600 children.