Kathmandu— The Israeli army has confirmed its soldiers numbered Palestinian detainees on their foreheads during a raid in the town of Qabatiya, located south of Jenin in the occupied West Bank earlier this week. The incident, which took place on Monday, involved marking individuals with numbers like ‘44’ and was reported by Palestinian news outlets, prompting widespread outrage and condemnation from officials and observers. Israeli forces stated they arrested two people suspected of planning attacks, while Palestinians report dozens were detained during searches of homes in several neighborhoods.

Detainee Accounts

Ahmad al-Hathnawi, one of the detainees marked with a number, told Palestinian media that this was his first experience with such treatment despite being released from Israeli detention four times previously. He described the raid as an act of “interrogation and terrorism,” alleging it was intended to intimidate families and signal long-term settler presence in the area. Al-Hathnawi also stated approximately 50 detainees, including blindfolded women, were present during his interrogation.

Army Response and Previous Incidents

The Israeli army issued a statement acknowledging the marking of detainees, stating that commanders had addressed the seriousness of the act with troops and lessons would be learned. However, this is not an isolated incident; similar practices were reported in April when soldiers wrote numbers on the hands of Palestinian women in Jenin, at which time the army also attributed it to “poor judgement.”

Escalating West Bank Tensions

The numbering of detainees occurs amidst a broader escalation of violence and settlement activity in the occupied West Bank. Israeli forces have increased raids and arrests, while settlers have established new outposts on Palestinian land near Ramallah and continue to besiege the village of Qusra for eleven days. The mayor of Qusra expressed fears that this siege represents a new tactic aimed at forcibly displacing Palestinians, warning that food and medicine supplies are dwindling. According to the Palestinian prime minister’s office, over 467 attacks against Palestinians have occurred in the occupied West Bank within just one week, resulting in the demolition of at least 75 homes and structures.

UN Condemnation

Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory, described the situation as reaching a “climax,” accusing Israel of outsourcing coercion to settlers to advance ethnic cleansing. She characterized settler violence as terrorism and called for investigations and prosecutions.

The situation in the West Bank remains highly volatile with ongoing Israeli raids, escalating settler violence, and increasing concerns over the displacement of Palestinian communities.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.