RAMALLAH, Palestine

The Israeli army on Wednesday detained 26 more Palestinians in various areas of the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

According to a joint statement issued by the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoner Society, the new arrests bring the total number of Palestinians detained by the Israeli forces since Oct. 7 to 5,780.

During the arrest campaigns, the Israeli soldiers also beat, abused Palestinians, and conducted field interrogations, in addition to damaging their homes and other properties, the statement added.

In its annual report, the commission said the total number of Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails at the end of December 2023 reached 8,800, including 80 women.

Tensions have been high across the West Bank since fighting broke out in Gaza on Oct. 7 between Palestinian groups and Israel.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, 341 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank since Oct. 7, with over 3,400 others injured.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar​​​​​​​ in Ankara