Israel’s forces and settlers carried out a wave of overnight raids, detentions, home demolitions and a settler incursion into Al-Aqsa Mosque across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem on Monday.

Israeli forces and settlers escalated violence across the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem on Monday, with overnight raids, dozens of detentions, the demolition of homes belonging to 80 families and a settler incursion into Al-Aqsa Mosque, according to Palestinian and regional media reports.

RELATED: Netanyahu Orders Prosecution of Israeli Soldiers Who Exposed Gaza Crimes in Documentary “Naza”

In a pre-dawn operation, Israeli troops entered towns including Tulkarem, Jenin, Hebron, Bethlehem, Nablus, Tubas and Ramallah, according to the reports. Dozens of Palestinians were detained and civilians were wounded by gunfire in Qabatiya.

Under Article 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, destruction of property by an occupying power is prohibited except where absolutely necessary for military operations. Israel generally maintains that demolitions target structures built without permits or linked to security concerns.

In occupied East Jerusalem, a large group of settlers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, reportedly under the protection of Israeli police and soldiers, carrying out provocative tours and religious rituals on the esplanade. Palestinian sources describe the move as a desecration and a breach of the historic status quo at the holy site.

Family Under Siege

In the southern Hebron hills, the Shinaran family, made up of five adults and five children, has been besieged by armed settlers in the village of Wadi al-Rahim, according to the reports. The attackers allegedly blocked the exits of the home, threw stones, destroyed the water pump, burned vehicles and tried to set fire to the garage door with the family inside. The family was reportedly trapped for more than a week.

Residents cannot reach their drinking water or food without coordinating through Israeli forces, the reports say. Footage cited by the newspaper Haaretz reportedly shows soldiers praying alongside the settlers and allowing them to play loud music in front of the besieged house. Although the area has been declared a closed military zone, troops are reported not to have stopped the attackers.

The accounts say this is not an isolated case. They cite attacks on the Tubasi family in Jalud, whose home was allegedly attacked by a mob of more than 100 settlers who set property on fire, and on the Ridi family in Qusra.

The reports link the pressure on Palestinian communities to the expansion of unauthorized outposts on Palestinian-owned land. Under Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, an occupying power may not transfer parts of its civilian population into occupied territory. The international community, including the UN, widely considers Israeli settlements illegal under international law, a position Israel disputes.

Press reports cited in the source claim the campaign enjoys the explicit backing of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government amid the race toward Knesset elections. Settler groups and the government have rejected similar accusations in the past, and no response was included in the reports.

IN THIS ARTICLE