Israeli forces have arrested more than 100 Palestinians since the start of Ramadan — now only several days into the holy month — according to Palestinian rights groups and regional media reports, with detentions reported across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Among those detained was Sheikh Mohammed al-Abbasi, an imam at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem. He was reportedly arrested inside the mosque shortly before the beginning of the holy month, drawing condemnation from Palestinian religious authorities and advocacy groups.
The arrests, documented by organisations monitoring detention patterns in the West Bank, have taken place during overnight raids and security operations in multiple towns and cities. Rights groups say the wave of detentions coincides with heightened security measures and access restrictions around Jerusalem’s holy sites during Ramadan.
The reported detentions have raised concerns among Palestinian officials, who argue that arrest campaigns during Ramadan risk escalating tensions during a period traditionally marked by religious observance and large gatherings at holy sites.
