West Bank money exchanges raided in bid to curb Hamas funding, Gallant says
▶ Troops arrest 21 in operation involving financial authorities and Shin Bet intelligence agency
Israel has carried out raids at money exchange offices across the occupied West Bank in what Defence Minister Yoav Gallant called an operation to curb the transfer of funds to Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza.
Raids were conducted on Wednesday night in Ramallah, Al Bireh, Hebron, Halhul, Nablus, Jenin, Tulkarm and Jericho. During the operation, Israeli forces arrested 21 people in connection with the alleged transfer of funds to Palestinian militant groups.
Israel is to designate five money exchange offices in the West Bank as terrorist organisations in connection with alleged transfers to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza, Mr Gallant said.
Fierce clashes were reported in central Ramallah’s Al Manara Square after Israeli vehicles entered the city at about 1am on Thursday.
One Palestinian was shot dead by Israeli forces and 14 were wounded during confrontations near Al Manara roundabout on Thursday morning, the Palestinian
Wafa news agency reported. The Israeli military said the raids were part of a joint investigation into suspected financing of Hamas through electronic transactions and cash.
The operation involved Israel’s Authority for the Prohibition of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing, the Shin Bet intelligence agency, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Tax Authority, the military said on social media. “As part of the joint investigation, an order was signed today by the Minister of Defence allowing an administrative seizure of the property,” it added.
Regional media reported that troops “seized about $2.5 million” from three exchange shops in Ramallah and two elsewhere in the West Bank. In one incident, Israeli troops blew up the safe of an exchange house to confiscate the funds, the agency reported.
Violence has surged across the West Bank since the Gaza war started, with more than 312 Palestinians killed by Israeli troops or settlers since October 7, the territory’s Health Ministry has said.
On Wednesday, six people were killed in an Israeli raid on the Nur Shams refugee camp, the ministry said. The army also carried out an air strike on the camp earlier this week.
A UN report issued on Thursday said the human rights situation in the West Bank was rapidly deteriorating and urged Israel to “end unlawful killings” against the Palestinian population.
“The use of military tactics and weapons in law enforcement contexts, the use of unnecessary or disproportionate force, and the enforcement of broad, arbitrary and discriminatory movement restrictions that affect Palestinians are extremely troubling,” said UN rights chief Volker Turk.
In one incident, Israeli forces reportedly blew up the safe of an exchange house to confiscate the funds