NEWS
Israeli Soldiers Mark Palestinian Detainees With Numbers During West Bank Raid
Israeli soldiers marked Palestinian detainees with numbers on their foreheads and arms during a military raid in the occupied West Bank on Monday, prompting renewed scrutiny over the treatment of Palestinians detained during Israeli military operations.
The incident occurred in Qabatiya, near Jenin, where Israeli forces reportedly rounded up dozens of Palestinian residents during a raid. Several of those detained were allegedly marked with identification numbers on their bodies before being taken away for questioning.
One of the detainees, Ahmad al-Hathnawi, said he was marked with the number 44 on his forehead. He told local media that at least 50 people were detained during the operation, including women.
“This is the first time they’ve put these numbers on me,” Hathnawi, who has been arrested four times previously, told local media.
According to Hathnawi, Israeli soldiers took him and other detainees away for interrogation after marking them.
Footage circulating online showed him speaking to local media with the number clearly visible on his forehead following the operation.
The incident has drawn attention because of similarities to a separate episode in April, when Palestinian women were seen with numbers marked on their hands as they entered the Israeli-controlled Jenin refugee camp to collect their belongings.
Israeli Military Acknowledges the Markings:-
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) acknowledged that Palestinian detainees had been marked with numbers during the Qabatiya operation after footage of the incident emerged.
In response to the footage, the IDF said the markings were made during a brigade-level operation in Qabatiya, in the Menashe region, involving security forces questioning people suspected of involvement in the operation.
“Yesterday, during a brigade-level operation in the village of Qabatiya in the Menashe region, security forces marked suspects who were questioned as part of the operation.
“Commanders made clear to the troops the seriousness of the act, and lessons have been learned,” it said.
The military’s statement represents an acknowledgment that the markings took place, while also indicating that commanders subsequently addressed the conduct with troops involved in the operation.
Similar Incident Reported in April:-
The development has also revived questions surrounding a similar incident reported in April, when footage showed Palestinian women with numbers marked on their hands as they entered the IDF-controlled Jenin refugee camp.
At the time, the Israeli military said the markings had been made at the Palestinians’ initiative. However, the IDF nevertheless described the practice as “an error in judgment,” saying that “procedures were clarified and lessons were learned.”
The latest incident in Qabatiya has therefore raised renewed concerns over the methods used during detention and interrogation operations in the occupied West Bank.
The raid comes amid continuing Israeli military operations across the West Bank, particularly in areas around Jenin that have witnessed repeated security raids and arrests. The reported detention of dozens of residents, alongside the marking of some detainees, is likely to fuel further debate over the conduct of Israeli forces and the treatment of Palestinians during military operations.