Israeli occupation forces have stepped up raids, curfews, and repression across multiple West Bank towns as part of an ongoing military escalation.
Israeli occupation forces withdrew on Sunday from the town of Qabatiya, south of Jenin, after a two-day military operation launched in the aftermath of a double car-ramming and stabbing operation in Beit She’an that killed two Israelis.
According to Al-Jazeera, more than 40 Israeli military vehicles, accompanied by bulldozers, withdrew toward the checkpoints surrounding Jenin, ending an operation marked by extensive raids and restrictions on movement.
During the operation, Israeli occupation forces sealed off Qabatiya completely, imposing a strict siege and curfew that prevented residents from entering or leaving the town. Homes were raided, residents were assaulted and detained, and several houses—as well as a local school—were converted into military outposts.
The mayor of Qabatiya told Al-Jazeera that the town had been fully isolated from its surroundings amid a sweeping campaign of house raids and searches.
A young Palestinian boy hugs his younger brother as Israeli military vehicles move past their home amid the ongoing military offensive in Qabatiya, north of the occupied West Bank. pic.twitter.com/xzYCZGNLgS
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) December 27, 2025
Israeli media quoted Defense Minister Israel Katz as saying the army was operating forcefully against what he described as “terrorist strongholds” in Qabatiya, stressing that the offensive campaign in the northern West Bank would continue without compromise. He confirmed that a full curfew and siege were imposed as part of the operation.
Israeli army chief of staff Herzi Halevi also held security consultations, ordering the continuation of offensive operations and the pursuit of Palestinian resistance fighters in the Jenin area.
He further instructed occupation forces to proceed with engineering preparations to demolish the home of the Palestinian accused of carrying out the operation inside the Green Line last Friday.
Raids and Attacks
Elsewhere, Israeli occupation forces carried out raids on several villages west of Ramallah, including Kharbatha Bani Harith, Ni’lin, Kafr Ni’ma, and Beit Ur al-Tahta.
Qabatiya | Second Day
Israeli forces continue to impose a siege and curfew on the town of Qabatiya for the second day, with ongoing raids and arrests, alongside harassment of journalists during coverage of events. pic.twitter.com/dP68AtAQoV— Eye on Palestine (@EyeonPalestine) December 27, 2025
Al-Jazeera’s correspondent reported that occupation soldiers fired sound grenades and tear gas toward residential areas, set up checkpoints that disrupted traffic, and raided shops to confiscate surveillance footage. Israeli forces also assaulted journalists, including Al-Jazeera crews, firing tear gas canisters directly at them to prevent coverage.
In Nablus, Israeli occupation forces stormed the ancient town of Sebastia, northwest of the city. Local sources said troops spread through several neighborhoods, carried out patrols, and raided areas without any announced security justification.
Since October 7, 2023, Israeli forces have sharply escalated raids across the occupied West Bank, coinciding with the ongoing genocidal war on Gaza. According to Palestinian sources, these operations have killed at least 1,103 Palestinians, wounded nearly 11,000 others, and led to the arrest of more than 21,000 people.
(PC, AJA)
