Israeli occupation forces imposed a suffocating siege on the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem on Thursday evening, kidnaping more than 1,000 Palestinian civilians in a violent campaign that terrorized residents and devastated the city.

The operation, which followed an alleged explosion injuring two Israeli soldiers, reflects a continuation of Israel’s systematic policies aimed at crushing Palestinian resilience and intimidating entire communities.

Eyewitnesses report that Israeli forces sealed off Tulkarem by closing iron gates at the southern and eastern entrances, halting all vehicle movement and trapping residents. Armored vehicles and bulldozers were deployed as soldiers stormed shops, cafés, and homes in the city center, detaining civilians at random, including those in their vehicles. Many were forced to march in long lines toward the Khadoori military checkpoint under humiliating and degrading conditions. Business owners reported that Israeli troops confiscated surveillance camera footage, a move seen as an attempt to erase evidence of the occupation’s actions.

Tulkarem Governor Abdullah Kamil issued an urgent appeal to the international community, including the United Nations General Assembly, the UN Human Rights Council, and global human rights organizations, demanding immediate action to halt the ongoing Israeli aggression.

“This assault is part of Israel’s deliberate policy to target unarmed civilians through collective punishment, home invasions, property destruction, and the terrorizing of women and children,” Governor Kamil stated. He emphasized that the attacks, ongoing since January 27, have inflicted severe humanitarian consequences on the city, and called on world leaders to uphold their moral and legal responsibilities to protect Palestinians and hold Israel accountable for its crimes.

The crackdown in Tulkarem coincided with heightened Israeli military aggression elsewhere in the West Bank. On Thursday evening, Israeli forces stormed Kafr Aqab, north of occupied Jerusalem, firing stun grenades and tear gas into densely populated neighborhoods, blocking vehicle access to Ramallah, forcing shops to close, and raiding residential buildings. Similar raids were carried out in Al-Ram, creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation across Palestinian communities.

While no injuries were reported in some of the raids, the operations reflect a broader pattern of systematic Israeli violence aimed at suppressing Palestinian resistance and maintaining control over the occupied territories.

The mass arrests and home invasions in Tulkarem highlight Israel’s ongoing campaign of collective punishment in the occupied Palestinian territories. Human rights organizations and Palestinian activists have criticized the international community’s silence, describing it as complicity in Israel’s violations of international law.

“The world cannot stand idly by while Israel continues its brutal occupation and collective punishment of our people,” said a spokesperson for the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club. “Tulkarem is under siege, and its residents are being punished simply for their resilience. Urgent action is required to hold Israel accountable and protect Palestinian lives.”

As the humanitarian crisis deepens, calls for justice and international intervention are intensifying, with Tulkarem symbolizing the resilience and steadfastness of the Palestinian people in the face of systematic oppression. (ILKHA)