Israel Detains Palestinians in Nablus, Reopens West Bank–Jordan Crossing

The Israeli military conducted an overnight raid in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus, detaining several Palestinians, an AFP journalist at the scene reported on Friday.

An Israeli military spokesman confirmed the operation, stating that: “Forces operated in the Nablus area to apprehend several suspects involved in terrorist activities.”

The spokesman added that the detainees were subsequently transferred to Shin Bet—Israel’s domestic intelligence agency—for questioning.

A Hamas official indicated that the raid targeted a wide range of people, including former prisoners, journalists, academics, and members of the Legislative Council.

“These detentions will only fuel public anger,” said Abdul Rahman Shadid, a Hamas representative in the West Bank, which has been under Israeli occupation since 1967.

Violence has escalated sharply in the West Bank since the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, which triggered the ongoing Gaza conflict.

The figures, reported by respective health ministries and authorities, reflect the intensifying cycle of violence between Israeli forces and Palestinian groups.

Meanwhile, the Allenby border crossing, the only international gateway for Palestinians leaving the West Bank without entering Israel, reopened on Friday—though three hours later than scheduled.

• The crossing had been largely closed following an incident in which a Jordanian truck driver transporting humanitarian aid to Gaza shot dead an Israeli soldier and a reserve officer at the border last week.
• On Tuesday, Palestinian and Jordanian authorities reported that Israel was indefinitely closing the crossing, which many Palestinians feared was retaliation for France and other Western countries formally recognising a Palestinian state.
• Israel announced on Thursday that the crossing would reopen only for passenger traffic starting the following morning.

At approximately 11:00 am (0800 GMT) on Friday, Palestinian travellers confirmed the reopening. Thousands of people had gathered at the terminal to cross, according to an AFP journalist on site.

In a fiery address to the United Nations on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed his opposition to a Palestinian state, accusing European leaders of encouraging what he termed “national suicide” and rewarding Hamas.

This latest round of detentions and the reopening of the border crossing underscores the ongoing tensions in the West Bank and the complex interplay between security measures, humanitarian access, and diplomatic pressures.Top of Form