A spokesperson from the Palestinian militant group Hamas was among the scores of people reportedly detained by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank. According to local media sources, the detentions were part of an ongoing security crackdown by Israel.
Hamas spokesman Abd Al-Latif Al-Kanou told reporters that he was detained at his home in the Ras Karkar area of the city of Ramallah late Wednesday night. He also noted that two members of his family had their phones confiscated by Israeli forces before he was taken into custody.
It’s been reported that several other Hamas members were also arrested in the raids throughout the West Bank. In addition, multiple other Palestinians have been rounded up and Clashes between security forces and protesters erupted in Bethlehem, just south of Jerusalem.
The reason for the detentions is still unclear, however, it is not uncommon for Israeli forces to resort to such tactics in order prevent militant groups from carrying out attacks.
This is not the first time Hamas members have been detained by Israeli forces in the West Bank. In 2017, more than 300 members of Hamas were arrested in the occupied territory. In response, several protests quickly emerged, calling for the release of those detained.
The latest rounds of detentions come at a particularly sensitive time in the region and create yet another obstacle to any progress in the delicate peace process. With tensions between Israelis and Palestinians running high, it remains to be seen what the repercussions of these latest detentions will be.