Israeli forces impose siege on Anata, Shuafat in occupied East Jerusalem

• Around 100 Palestinians detained, including woman, amid raids, searches and field interrogations

Israeli forces have imposed a tight siege on the town of Anata and the Shuafat refugee camp in occupied East Jerusalem since early Tuesday, carrying out raids, arrests and searches of homes, shops and other facilities, according to Palestinian authorities.

The Jerusalem Governorate said in a statement that Israeli forces had closed roads leading to Anata and the Shuafat camp since dawn, preventing Palestinians from moving in and out of the areas.

The siege and curfew forced schools and kindergartens in the town and camp to suspend classes, while Israeli forces prevented shop owners from opening their businesses, it added.

The restrictions have largely paralyzed commercial activity and daily life for around 80,000 Palestinians.

The governorate said Israeli forces were carrying out a large-scale arrest campaign, estimating that around 100 Palestinians had been detained, including a woman, while raids and field interrogations continued.

Israeli forces also raided dozens of homes in Anata and Shuafat, searching and questioning residents, and stormed several shops and private facilities, breaking down doors at some premises and damaging their contents, it added.

Israeli forces remained deployed in neighborhoods and main streets, while tight military restrictions continued at the Shuafat checkpoint, according to an Anadolu correspondent.

Local sources told Anadolu that Israeli forces were allowing people to enter the area in some cases while preventing them from leaving.

Dozens of Palestinians were forced to spend hours overnight in their vehicles after the siege prevented them from reaching their homes, while people from outside Anata and Shuafat were stranded when roads were closed.

The Jerusalem Governorate also said Israeli forces were preventing ambulance crews from reaching patients and emergency cases, warning of the potential consequences for residents.

It condemned the continued siege and restrictions, calling the measures a “dangerous escalation” and “collective punishment” affecting the lives and basic rights of tens of thousands of Palestinians.

The Israeli army announced Monday that it had launched what it called a “focused” operation in Anata and Shuafat, without specifying how long it would last.

The Jerusalem Governorate said the raids resembled an Israeli military operation carried out in the Qalandia refugee camp in early August and accused Israel of pursuing a policy of collective punishment against Palestinian communities surrounding Jerusalem.

The latest raids come amid a sharp rise in violence across the occupied Palestinian territories. UN data indicate that attacks by Israeli occupiers have reached “unprecedented levels,” with more than 1,400 attacks resulting in casualties or property damage documented in 2026.

Around 750,000 Israeli occupiers live in 516 illegal settlements and outposts across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

​​​​​​​Israeli army attacks and violence by occupiers against Palestinians and their property in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have intensified since the Gaza war began in October 2023.