At least 24 Hamas suspects detained by Israel in West Bank raids

In overnight raids, security forces of Israel has arrested 24 suspected members of Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in the northern West Bank, on Tuesday, the Army said.

A suspected Hamas network in Qalqilya was targeted in raids in town just over the Green Line from Israel that is partly surrounded by Israel’s controversial separation barrier.

“The heads of the network, who ran the regional headquarters, were operating to renew Hamas activity in the area and plotting terror activity,” the Army said.

At least 24 Hamas suspects detained by Israel in West Bank raids

Those detained included “senior Hamas operatives who have been previously arrested for participating and planning Hamas terror activity,” it said, adding that around USD 9,000 had been seized.

The overnight raids has been confirmed by the Palestinian security officials.

The arrests come amid a flare-up of violence in the Palestinian and Israel territories that has seen 75 people on the Palestinian side and 10 Israelis- one of them an Israeli Arab - killed since October 1. Most of the Palestinians killed were alleged attackers.

The trouble in the region has largely consisted of apparent lone-wolf attacks by young Palestinians on Israelis but Israel has accused Hamas of encouraging the violence from its bases in the Gaza Strip and in exile in Qatar.