The town of Qabalan in the northern occupied West Bank witnessed an Israeli forces operation during which tear gas and stun grenades were used. Many people, including students, were affected by the gas in the town near Nablus, including those in the streets and around schools.
The gas used after Israeli military vehicles entered the town caused choking and breathing difficulties among residents. The incident occurred on Monday.
Palestine Red Crescent says ambulance access was blocked
The Palestine Red Crescent said it received a report of an injured young man in Qabalan. The organization said Israeli forces prevented medical teams from reaching him and that coordination was being carried out with the International Committee of the Red Cross to allow ambulances to enter the area.
No details were provided about the nature of the young man's injuries or the severity of his condition.
Report of a knife attack preceded the raid
The Israeli army said it received a report of an attempted knife attack near the village of Osarin, close to Qabalan. The raid on Qabalan took place shortly after that statement.
Israel's public broadcaster KAN said a resident of the illegal settlement of Ma'oz Yehuda, near Osarin, was injured in a knife attack on Monday morning. The Israeli army claimed that a person carrying a knife fled after stabbing the settlement resident and that numerous soldiers were sent to the area.
The Israeli army later said that the person allegedly responsible for the attack was killed during the pursuit. This claim was presented as the justification for the events that occurred during the raid in Qabalan.
Three homes belonging to the Abu Mayala family demolished in East Jerusalem
In the town of Beit Hanina, north of occupied East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities demolished structures belonging to three Palestinian homes. The Israeli authorities cited the claim that the structures had been built without permits as the reason for the operation.
The Jerusalem Governorate, affiliated with the Palestinian Authority, said Israeli bulldozers demolished three homes belonging to the Abu Mayala family that had stood for 20 years. The governorate said 21 family members were left homeless and the structures were reduced to rubble.
According to the governorate, Israeli forces arrived in the area with bulldozers in the morning and did not allow the family to remove its belongings before the demolition. The governorate described these actions as part of policies targeting the Palestinian presence in East Jerusalem and placing families at risk of displacement through home demolitions and restrictions.
Permit and settlement dispute in East Jerusalem
Palestinian, Israeli and international human rights organizations say Israeli authorities restrict building permits issued to Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem and continue demolishing homes. These organizations argue that Israeli governments have issued tens of thousands of building permits for illegal settlements on land in the city.
Palestinians regard East Jerusalem as the capital of the state they seek to establish in the future. Israel considers both East and West Jerusalem its capital; this position is not recognized internationally.
Armed attacks, knife attacks and vehicle-ramming incidents occur periodically in the occupied Palestinian territories. Since the war began in the Gaza Strip in 2023, Israeli army operations and settler attacks in the West Bank have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians, injured more than 12,000 and led to the detention of approximately 24,000 people.
