Israeli forces raid homes of families of Gilboa escapees

Israeli forces raided the family homes of the two remaining Palestinian Gilboa Prison escapees who remain free, detaining a number of their relatives.

Israeli soldiers raided the home of escapee Ayham Kamamji in the occupied village of Kufr Dan, near the northern West Bank city of Jenin, and detained his brother Imad, according to Palestinian Authority's (PA) news agency WAFA.

They also looted the home and seized the mobile phones, according to the report.

Israeli soldiers also raided the town of Yamoun and detained Kamamji's cousin, Qaisar Naser.

In Yabad, north of Jenin, soldiers raided the home of escapee Munadel Infeiat and interrogated members of his family.

During the raids, Israeli soldiers fired tear gas canisters and sound bombs at protests.

Kamamji and Infeiat are two of six Palestinians who broke out of Gilboa Prison in northern Israel last week after digging their way to freedom using a spoon. The two remain free while the four others were captured by the Israeli army.

Following their recapture, Hamas spokesperson Fawzi Barhoum hailed the jail-breakers, saying "history will record the heroic and courageous scene of the six prisoners of war, the heroes of the Freedom Tunnel battle".

On Sunday, Israeli forces teargassed dozens of Palestinians who held protests in support of the prisoners in the village of Tuqu in Al-Arroub and Al-Fawwar refugee camps, in Hebron.

The UN, Red Cross, and other international rights groups have been urged to help protect Palestinian prisoners by the Palestinian Prisoners Club.