Israeli forces arrest 14 Palestinians across West Bank on third day of Ramadan

2026-02-20 - 11:42

Israeli forces arrested 14 Palestinians during raids across the occupied West Bank on Friday, the third day of Ramadan, according to the Palestinian Prisoners' Media Office. Arrests concentrated in the northern governorates of Jenin, Tulkarem, and Salfit, where troops detained 13 residents after raiding and searching homes. One young man turned himself in under pressure, the statement added. Ramadan Escalation Amjad al-Najjar, director general of the Palestinian Prisoner Society, told Anadolu Thursday that Israeli arrests have "largely escalated with the beginning of Ramadan." The office said daily arrest campaigns continue across West Bank cities and towns during the holy month, targeting young men and students amid ongoing escalation. Detention Statistics and Conditions According to Palestinian data, more than 9,300 Palestinian prisoners are held in Israeli prisons, including 350 children and 56 women. Rights groups report they face torture, starvation, and medical neglect, which has led to dozens of deaths. The Committee to Protect Journalists this week documented systematic abuse of at least 94 detained Palestinian journalists since October 2023. Broader West Bank Context Since the Gaza war began Oct. 8, 2023, Israel has intensified West Bank operations through military and illegal settlers, including killings, arrests, demolitions, displacement, and settlement expansion. Palestinians warn these measures pave the way for formal West Bank annexation, undermining UN-resolution-based Palestinian statehood. Israeli operations since October 2023 have killed over 1,115 Palestinians, injured about 11,500, and led to nearly 22,000 arrests. The two-year Gaza war has killed over 72,000 Palestinians and damaged 90% of civilian infrastructure.