Israeli forces have rounded up 19 Palestinians in dawn raids carried out across the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Prisoners Society, an NGO, said Thursday.
“Israeli occupation forces arrested seven Palestinians in Ramallah and Al-Bireh, six in Jerusalem, two in Hebron [Al-Khalil], two in Jenin and one each in Qalqilya and Jericho,” the NGO said in a statement.
According to society spokesperson Fidaa Najada, roughly 950 Palestinians have been detained -- including 18 women and 235 children -- since demonstrations erupted in the Palestinian territories in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision on Dec. 6 to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
The Israeli army frequently carries out sweeping arrest campaigns in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem with a view to finding and detaining "wanted" Palestinians.
The number of Palestinians languishing in Israeli custody currently stands at some 6,500, according to Palestinian figures.
Of these, Najada said, 10 have remained in detention for more than 30 years.
