In a blatant human rights violation, Israeli occupation forces launched a sweeping arrest campaign in the town of Azzun, Qalqilya Governorate, in the northern West Bank. The raids resulted in the detention of 64 Palestinians, including children as young as seven, marked by violent and inhumane practices.
The town has witnessed a surge in arrests, with Israeli forces issuing threats to residents and shopkeepers, many of whom were coerced into closing their businesses at gunpoint.
The total number of detainees from Azzun has now exceeded 100.
Azzun’s Mayor, Fadl Al-Hawari, described the arrests as indiscriminate. Detainees were handcuffed and taken to a checkpoint on the town’s eastern outskirts, where they were subjected to field interrogations before being gradually released.
As part of this operation, several young men endured physical assaults, while a seven-year-old child was among those detained—highlighting the increasing use of excessive force by the occupation.
The Palestinian detainees were made to walk with their hands bound, lying face-down at the northern entrance of the town before being transferred to a military base. Meanwhile, residents endured further violence, with Israeli forces firing live ammunition and tear gas, leaving three people injured and requiring hospital treatment.
The occupation continues to enforce collective punishment policies across the West Bank, with Azzun bearing the brunt of these measures. The town has faced near-daily restrictions, including the closure of its northern entrance with a metal gate since October 2023 and the establishment of a military checkpoint that has deepened the hardship for its residents.
These actions, widely condemned as gross human rights violations, contravene international law, which prohibits collective punishment and the violent treatment of civilians.
