Israeli forces on Wednesday sealed off parts of the southern West Bank district of Hebron in the wake of an attack against Israeli settlers in the area which killed four.
Deputy mayor of Bani Na'im Raja Ziadat, a village close to the illegal Kiryat Arba settlement, where the attack occurred, said a curfew was imposed at dawn after troops withdrew. He added that Israeli forces were deployed heavily throughout the district.
Israeli forces are denying residents access to the village and barring vehicular travel on the Route 60 bypass road, the mayor said.
An Israeli military spokesman confirmed the curfew, which he said it was implemented for security considerations. He added that Palestinians were told not to travel on Route 60 because of funerals taking place but no roadblocks had been put up.
Ziadat said forces raided the village's Red Crescent office and searched the Walid Maternity Hospital.
Meanwhile, a Palestinian Authority security source told Ma'an that two Palestinians were detained in Bani Na'im, identified as A’yed Hassan Manasreh and Faruq Hamad Manasre, after a search of their homes. The source said Faruq was beaten and A’yed was arrested.
The Israeli official was unable to comment on either the arrests or the raid.
The source added that Palestinian traffic out of Idhna, a village northeast of the city, was banned, but pedestrian access was available.
Israeli patrols were spotted in Ash-Shuyukh, Beit Ula, Sa'ir, Halhul and Nuba, the source added.
According to Agence-France Presse, Israeli army Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi and other generals were at the site of Tuesday's shooting conducting operational and intelligence assessments.
Front Page Features