A Palestinian Hamas spokesman has been arrested among dozens of other suspects in the occupied West Bank, according to reports.
The reported detention of Hussam Badran took place in a series of overnight raids on Saturday in both the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to the Palestinian Information Center, a Hamas-affiliated news website.
Badran, described as a “top Hamas official”, was reportedly arrested in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed that some 60 suspects were arrested, saying that most of them were part of an “organised crime network” in the Hebron area of the occupied West Bank.
The arrests come after weeks of tension between Israel and Hamas, the militant group that governs the Gaza Strip.
Israel has accused Hamas of carrying out a series of rocket attacks into its territory, while Hamas has accused Israel of carrying out a series of airstrikes on its targets in and around the Gaza Strip.
The IDF also stated that weapons were seized in the raids, with reports indicating that they included rockets and explosives.
Hamas has yet to comment on the reported arrest of Badran, while Israeli sources allege that he was in some way involved in the rocket attacks.
The arrest of Badran is likely to further ramp up the tensions between Israel and Hamas, with both sides reportedly unwilling to offer any concessions.
The recent events in the region are a worrying indication that a full-scale conflict between the two sides may be drawing closer.
