Israeli Forces Raid Offices of Two Palestinian NGOs and Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah

Israeli (Zionist) forces have raided the offices of two NGOs operating in Palestine as well as the courtyard of the Palestine Medical Complex, according to reports from the West Bank. Israeli security forces entered and searched the offices of the Union of Palestinian Women's Committees (UPWC) and the Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association, both located in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. In addition, armed soldiers were stationed at the gates of the Palestine Medical Complex, also in Ramallah, preventing people from entering. The complex is the largest health facility run by the Palestinian government in the West Bank. Equipment at a centre belonging to Addameer, an association that advocates for the rights of prisoners, is being taken away under Israeli custody. Israeli security forces had previously closed the association's offices as well. The raids on Monday caused widespread fear among residents living in Ramallah. Israeli forces also attacked journalists active in the area who were gathering information about the raid, using stun grenades. A journalist from Al Jazeera Arabic was injured as a result of tear gas. In addition, four journalists were taken into Israeli custody in Al-Khalil (Hebron). The Palestinian Ministry of Health said a child had been injured by the Israeli use of live bullets. The ministry also said that a large number of people were suffering difficulty in breathing as a result of the ongoing raids in Ramallah and Al-Bireh. The raids on the NGOs are part of an ongoing campaign by the Israeli authorities against Palestinian civil society organizations.