Israel detains two Palestinian children in Hebron

Israel detained two Palestinian minors in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron during a raid on Saturday, Wafa News Agency reported.

The Israeli troops raided the Bab al-Zawiya area of Hebron city and detained two 14-year-old Palestinian teenagers for reasons yet unknown, the news agency reported.

The two teenagers were identified as Salim Mohammed Samouh and Hamdi Khalil Qawasmeh.

Earlier this month, the Israeli army created a new authority to provide municipal services for settlers in Hebron, raising fears that Tel Aviv is moving closer to formally annexing parts of the city.

Around 600 ultra-nationalist Israeli settlers live in the heart of Hebron, the largest Palestinian city in the West Bank. The settler enclave is protected by twice as many Israeli soldiers.

Hebron has deep religious significance for Muslims and Jews, who revere it as the burial site of religious patriarchs.

Hebron is known for its extortionately hostile environment due to its high concentration of settler population. Its Palestinian residents reportedly live in fear due to Israeli aggression and apartheid. 

Last month, a video emerged showing Israeli settlers hurling Islamophobic abuse at a Palestinian woman, while also threatening to sexually assault her in occupied Hebron.

Human rights group B'Tselem released a video on Tuesday showing settlers from Israel's illegal Kiryat Arba settlement shouting insults at Islam and Palestinians.