Israeli Forces Conduct Largest Raid in Azzun in 23 Years, Leaving Town Under Siege
Hundreds of Israeli soldiers stormed Azzun, arresting over 200 Palestinians, conducting violent interrogations, and sealing all town entrances in the most extensive military operation since 2001.
Watan-For seven hours, the town of Azzun, east of Qalqilya in the northern West Bank, endured a brutal Israeli military raid, the largest in 23 years. Beginning at midnight on Tuesday, Israeli forces stormed the town, carrying out mass arrests, field interrogations, home invasions, and severe beatings while completely sealing off all entrances. Residents described the incursion as an act of revenge and collective punishment.
Widespread Arrests and Abuse
In the early morning hours of Tuesday, Israeli forces raided the home of Bilal Islim, 38, the imam of Azzun’s central mosque. Soldiers ransacked his house, destroyed its contents, and arrested both him and his 18-year-old son, Youssef, a top high school student.
“They stormed our home and broke everything. They then stripped my son Youssef completely, leaving him in only his underwear in the freezing cold until nearly 8 AM.” – Bilal Islim
Islim was not the only one subjected to humiliation. Another young man, Mohammed Taher, was also forced to strip in the cold as soldiers ignored the harsh winter temperatures.
Beyond the arrests, Israeli forces brutally assaulted Islim upon detaining him:
“They tied my hands, blindfolded me, forced me to lie face down on the floor, and then multiple soldiers jumped on my back with their heavy boots, trying to break it. I barely survived without fractures, but I suffered severe bruises.” – Bilal Islim
Islim was then taken to a field interrogation center north of Azzun, where the abuse continued. He described the mass arrests and interrogations as an act of revenge by Israeli forces.
Elderly Targeted in Mass Detentions
Even elderly residents were not spared. Riyad Islim, 66, a municipal council member, was among those arrested. He recounted how Israeli forces stormed his neighborhood, ransacking homes and detaining men and youth indiscriminately.
“They arrested my son and me, tied our hands, blindfolded us, and took us to the field interrogation site. Around 200 detainees were held there for nearly seven hours before being released—still blindfolded and handcuffed.”
Islim described how soldiers threw stun grenades at the released detainees to terrorize them, forcing them to stumble and fall.
“They didn’t care about the cold or our age. I saw one detainee crash into an electric pole, and instead of helping him, the soldiers beat him more.”
According to Islim, settlers later circulated images online showing the abuse of Azzun’s residents, demonstrating that the raid was designed to appease Israeli settlers.
Unprecedented Military Operation
Azzun mayor Fadel Hawari described the scale of the attack, saying that around 500 Israeli soldiers, 40 military vehicles, two heavy armored tanks, and a bulldozer were deployed in the raid—an unprecedented show of force in over two decades.
At midnight, Israeli forces entered from multiple directions, sealed all entry points, and launched a sweeping campaign of raids and home demolitions.
- Over 200 residents were arrested, including the elderly.
- Detainees were interrogated under harsh conditions near the northern entrance of the town.
- Some were stripped of their clothes despite the freezing weather.
- Israeli forces blew up an unfinished house with explosives.
While most detainees were released after interrogation, 10 remain in Israeli custody, and two suffered fractures and severe bruises, requiring hospitalization.
Azzun Under Israeli Siege Since October 2023
Since October 7, 2023, Azzun has been subjected to continuous Israeli military raids and strict restrictions on movement. The town’s four main entrances remain under severe Israeli control:
- The eastern entrance has been closed for 25 years.
- The northern entrance has been fully sealed since October 2023, with no signs of reopening.
- The western entrance has a permanent military checkpoint, where residents endure daily searches and harassment.
- The southern entrance is the only functional route, though it remains heavily monitored.
According to Hawari, Israeli escalation in Azzun has intensified over the past five months:
- 12 residents have been killed.
- Nearly 1,000 people have been detained, with 176 still in Israeli prisons.
- 20 others have been wounded in Israeli raids and attacks.
With a population of 12,000, Azzun is one of the West Bank’s most affected towns by Israeli settlement expansion. Thousands of dunams of Palestinian land have been confiscated, and the Israeli Highway 55 cuts through its lands, further isolating the town and enabling settler expansion.
