A Palestinian was martyred – today, Sunday – by Israeli occupation army gunfire east of the city of Jerusalem, bringing the death toll in the West Bank to 506 since last October 7, at a time when the occupation forces arrested 18 Palestinians from the West Bank.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said that its crews received the body of a martyr from the Israeli military “Container” checkpoint near East Jerusalem, and it was transferred to Al-Hussein Hospital in Beit Jala in the city of Bethlehem.
Earlier today, the Israeli newspaper Maariv said that a Palestinian arrived at the Kiosk checkpoint near Abu Dis, pulled out a knife and tried to stab Border Police soldiers.
She added that the soldiers opened fire on the attacker and were able to kill him, without any casualties among the Israeli forces at the scene.
For its part, the official Palestinian News Agency (Wafa) quoted eyewitnesses as saying that the occupation forces opened heavy fire on a young man as he passed through the container checkpoint separating the central and southern West Bank, and prevented ambulances and medical teams from reaching him or providing first aid to him.
Wafa reported that the young man is called Rami Taqatqa (44 years old), from the town of Beit Fajjar, south of Bethlehem.
The agency added that the occupation forces completely closed the checkpoint, caused a stifling traffic crisis, and detained hundreds of vehicles passing through the military checkpoint.
She explained that following the shooting, the occupation forces completely closed the entrances to the towns of Al-Eizariya, Abu Dis, and Al-Sawahra (east of Jerusalem), and prevented exit and entry to them, simultaneously closing the checkpoint and detaining thousands of vehicles.
This brings the number of Palestinians killed by the Israeli army in the West Bank – since October 7 – to 506, based on data from the Palestinian Ministry of Health, in addition to about 5,000 wounded.
watched The body of the martyr who climbed the perimeter of the Counter checkpoint in Jerusalem arrived at Beit Jala Hospital. pic.twitter.com/EpQ7UFNF3Z
– Al-Qastal News (@AlQastalps) May 19, 2024
Arrests
On the other hand, the Prisoners’ Club and the Palestinian Prisoners’ and Ex-Prisoners’ Affairs Authority said – in a joint press statement today – that the occupation forces arrested at least 18 citizens from the West Bank last night and Sunday dawn, including children and a journalist.
The statement explained that the arrests were distributed across the governorates of Ramallah, Tulkarm, Nablus, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem, and included widespread acts of abuse, severe beatings, threats against detainees and their families, and sabotage and destruction of citizens’ homes.
With the arrest of the 18 citizens, the total – since the seventh of last October – has risen to about 8,775 detainees, and it includes those who were arrested from homes, through military checkpoints, those who were forced to surrender themselves under pressure, and those who were held hostage.
Storming Al-Aqsa
Meanwhile, a group of settlers stormed the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque under the guard of the Israeli occupation forces.
Meanwhile, the occupation police prevented some Palestinians from entering the Holy Mosque and beat them with sticks.
The occupation police prevent Palestinians from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque through Lions Gate with sticks #Gaza_War #video pic.twitter.com/Dxi3GHV5Nj
– Tel Aviv Tribune Palestine (@AJA_Palestine) May 19, 2024
The pace of settlers’ attacks on Palestinians in the Holy City and West Bank cities increased, and their storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque after October 7, 2023.
In parallel with the devastating war on Gaza, the West Bank is witnessing security tensions as a result of continued settler attacks and occupation army incursions into Palestinian cities, towns and camps, which – in addition to the deaths and injuries – resulted in the arrest of 8,775 Palestinians, according to data from institutions specialized in prisoner affairs.