Palestinian Authority targets Hamas-linked students and activists in wave of arrests

Palestinian Authority security forces have arrested scores of civilians across the West Bank this week in a "politically motivated" campaign of arrests during the 35th anniversary of the establishment of Hamas. 

Security forces summoned and detained over 30 students from Ramallah, Bethlehem and Hebron in the days leading up to Wednesday’s commemorations due to their alleged links to the Gaza-based Islamist movement. 

Palestinian rights groups condemned the campaign as illegal, saying that the authorities had targeted the civilians due to their political affiliations. 

"We have documented the arrests of tens of activists and student leaders," said the Independent Commission for Human Rights Palestine. 

"We remain extremely concerned at the manner in which these arrests took place - using excessive force and intimidation against the families of detainees during their arrest."

"Defence lawyers have all noted how files have been devoid of arrest reports, or any of the usual filings that would go along with such serious detentions," said Lawyers for Justice. 

Earlier in the week, The Palestinian Authority (PA) had warned Hamas activists in the occupied West Bank against celebrations for the movement's 35th anniversary, according to Israeli media reports. 

PA security officials summoned dozens of Hamas activists and leaders to deliver its warning, according to The New Arab's Arabic sister site, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

Many of them were then detained, say Lawyers for Justice. 

The PA governs parts of the occupied West Bank and is regularly criticised for engaging in security coordination with Israel and suppressing internal dissent. 

In late April this year, PA president Mahmoud Abbas ordered a sweeping series of arrests in Hebron and Jenin amid continued Israeli raids across refugee camps in the area. 

At the time, sources said that Abbas views armed Palestinian resistance as "chaos that undermines the flow of life and investment opportunities in the occupied West Bank".

The PA security forces were heavily criticised for the death in police custody of Palestinian activist Nizar Banat in 2021.

Israel has killed 224 Palestinians, including 36 children, this year, including teenager Jana Zakarneh as she fetched her cat from her roof this week.