The overnight operation, like many others in the West Bank in recent weeks, was focused on arresting suspected members of the Hamas terror group and other Palestinians accused of involvement in terror activity — mostly for hurling stones and Molotov cocktails at Israeli vehicles in the area.
It came amid Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which has taken much of the media spotlight. But tensions in the West Bank remain high.
The IDF says troops have arrested some 2,000 wanted Palestinians across the West Bank, including more than 1,100 affiliated with Hamas, since October 7. According to the Palestinian Authority health ministry, some 200 West Bank Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces, and in some cases settlers, during the same period.
Sitting in a Tigris armored vehicle — a heavily modified Ford F-550 — Maj. (res.) Arik Pupov, the deputy commander of Samaria Regional Brigade’s 8109th Reserve Battalion, told The Times of Israel the coming night’s operation would be larger in scale than usual. READ MORE
