Israeli forces detained 37 Palestinians overnight Sunday in the West Bank as the search and arrest operation launched against Hamas continues into its 11th day. According to Israeli military sources, “the focus of the scans and searches will be centered northwest of Hebron”, and the army is likely to exhaust searches in the area within a few days.
Israeli forces, however, continue to carry out house-to-house searches across the West Bank. In Nablus, for example, forces detained activists overnight while computers and surveillance cameras were confiscated in Bethlehem.
Israeli forces also raided four money changers in Hebron, confiscating all computers and security cameras.
Seven Hamas-affiliated charities were raided in Hebron.
A large-scale military operation was launched by Israel 10 days ago when three Israeli teenagers went missing north of Hebron in the West Bank.
Since then Israeli forces have detained 471 Palestinians, including 11 members of the Palestinian Legislative Council, in over 400 targeted raids on homes, civil society institutions, universities and media outlets.
Israeli forces have also severely restricted the movement of Palestinians, with temporary closures at the main north-south Container checkpoint and a lock-down on the Hebron district, home to over 600,000 Palestinians.
Israeli forces have killed five Palestinians while conducting arrest operations. An additional Palestinian was killed when he step over a landmine.
Israel accuses Hamas of kidnapping the settlers. However, so far no organization has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping, and Israel has yet to present evidence they were kidnapped by Hamas.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed “concern” about mass arrests of Palestinians, in a telephone conversation Saturday with Prime Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.