Israeli forces raided the Jerusalem-area Shuafat refugee camp for the seventh consecutive day before dawn on Wednesday, September 28, searching and ransacking scores of homes and detaining at least 13 Palestinians.

The Jerusalem-area Shuafat refugee camp (Photo: Al Ittihad)

Thaer Fasfous, spokesperson for the Fatah movement in Jerusalem, told the Palestinian news agency Ma’an “that Israeli forces were heavily deployed in the narrow streets of several areas throughout the camp and raided more than 20 houses. Israeli soldiers indiscriminately fired rubber-coated steel bullets and tear-gas canisters to suppress clashes.”

Residents told Ma’an that the raids were unjustified and were merely an attempt by Israeli forces to frighten and provoke residents, noting that Israeli forces were smashing through doors and destroying furniture in homes during the raids which continued for hours. Witnesses said that soldiers deliberately provoked Palestinian youths who were trying to go home or leave for work, stopping and searching them, forcing them to lift up their shirts at gunpoint. Meanwhile, the Jerusalem-based Wadi Hilweh Information Center said that Israeli forces have detained more than 40 Palestinians from the Shuafat refugee camp since the beginning of September.

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