Israeli online daily, Haaretz, has reported that Israeli ministers held an urgent meeting, and decided to worsen the conditions of imprisoned Hamas members held in various Israeli prisons and detention camps, and that the government is examining the possibility removing Hamas leaders from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip. It said that the army has kidnapped around 200 Palestinians since the three Israeli settlers went missing, believed to have been abducted, last Thursday.
Haaretz quoted a senior Israeli military official stating, on Tuesday night, that Hamas “shot itself in the leg” instead of saving itself through the Palestinian reconciliation deal, and the unity agreement recently signed with Fateh party and several other political groups, paving the way for an interim government that would prepare for elections.
His statements contradict all statements, and actions, made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his Defense Minister, and various Israeli ministers and government officials who shunned the Palestinian Authority, and initiated sanctions against it, in addition to initiating an international campaign to isolate it, after the unity deal was signed.
The Central Command of the Israeli military stated that this is the first time in many years that the army is extensively deployed in the West Bank, with thousands of additional forces operating there, mainly in the Hebron district, in the southern part of the occupied West Bank.
Central Command officials said the operation is largely targeting members of the Hamas movement, but is not excluding members of various other groups. The army also confiscated computers, cellphones, surveillance equipment and tapes, in an attempt to find any clues about the missing Israelis.
The soldiers have also kidnapped many children, brothers, fathers and their sons, while the army continues to invade hundreds of Palestinian homes in Hebron, Nablus, Jenin, and many other parts of the occupied West Bank.
The Ahrar Center for Detainees Studies and Human Rights has reported that the soldiers invaded, on Monday night, more than 240 Palestinian homes, including homes of former and current political prisoners and political leaders. 140 of the invaded homes are located in the Hebron district.
Head of the Ahrar Center Fuad Al-Khuffash said that ten of the recently kidnapped Palestinians received arbitrary Administrative Detention orders, holding them in detention for different extended periods without charges or trial.
Related
Ahrar: “197 Palestinians Kidnapped In The West Bank”
http://www.imemc.org/article/68137
Army Kidnaps Dozens Of Palestinians In West Bank
http://www.imemc.org/article/68130
Eight Kidnapped In Jenin, Soldiers Confiscate UNRWA Vehicle
http://www.imemc.org/article/68131
