Israel launches new wave of detentions in occupied West Bank

Almost 30 Palestinians were detained by Israel in the occupied West Bank on Saturday night.

Israeli troops raided homes in Tubas, a town in the territory's north, detaining 13 people, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.

Soldiers besieged one house and fired a shoulder-filed missile resulting in a blaze. 

A Palestinian was shot by an Israeli soldier after the army stormed al-Dhahiriya town in Hebron province. Wafa said at least two arrests were made.

Three people were detained in Hebron, Bethlehem province, and Nablus province.

Israeli forces also detained two Palestinians in Ramallah province and another two in Qalandia refugee camp, which lies in East Jerusalem.

It comes amid a surge in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

The ministry said at least 273 people, including 63 children, have been killed in the occupied West Bank since 7 October, when Israel launched a siege and bombardment of Gaza following deadly Hamas attacks.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Sunday that Israeli forces and settlers have killed 265 Palestinians in the territory since 7 October.

The figure makes up a majority of Palestinians killed in the West Bank across the entire year.

"Already, 2023 is the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank since OCHA began recording casualties in 2005," the United Nations agency said.

Around 18,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's assault on Gaza since 7 October, the vast majority civilians.