Israeli raids in West Bank target Hamas funding

The Israeli army said that its forces raided currency exchange and money transfer offices in Ramallah and other cities in the occupied West Bank on Thursday and seized millions of dollars suspected to be intended to finance the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

The Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that at least one person was killed, and 14 others were injured in clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians in the center of Ramallah.

An Israeli military statement mentioned that the police, army, and personnel from the Security Agency (Shin Bet) carried out raids in various parts of the West Bank, arresting 21 individuals in Ramallah, as well as in Tulkarm, Jenin in the northern West Bank, and Hebron in the south.

The statement added, "During the operation, funds for terrorists were found, and tens of millions of shekels, safes, documents, recording systems, and phones were seized."

The army stated that, in addition to financial service providers, the operation also targeted cryptocurrencies, with the involvement of a special unit for electronic crimes in the investigation.

Clashes erupted in several other locations. The Israeli army stated that its soldiers opened fire after being targeted with explosives, petrol bombs, and rocks.

Reuters