Israeli forces raid Palestinian university, assault security guard in occupied West Bank

Israeli forces raided Birzeit University in the central occupied West Bank early Monday, assaulting a security guard and damaging property before withdrawing, local sources and the institution said.

Israeli forces stormed the campus near Ramallah, assaulted the security guard, raided the Faculty of Physical Education building from the eastern side and damaged infrastructure and items, local sources told Anadolu Agency.

The exam schedule at the university, however, was not affected. “Following up with the relevant authorities on what happened at dawn today, when Israeli forces raided the university campus and later withdrew, we confirm to our dear students that exams will be held at their scheduled times according to the approved timetables, with no changes,” the university administration said on Facebook.

The university also published photos showing damage to campus facilities after Israeli forces raided and searched buildings.

READ: Palestinian injured, 2 arrested in Israeli raids across occupied West Bank

The Israeli army carries out near-daily raids in West Bank cities and towns, often involving arrests, field interrogations and home searches.

Since Oct. 8, 2023, attacks by the Israeli army and occupiers in the West Bank have killed at least 1,173 Palestinians, injured 12,666 and led to the arrest of about 23,000, according to official figures.

The attacks also include the destruction and demolition of homes and facilities, the razing of agricultural land, preventing farmers from reaching their land, displacing residents from their homes and expanding settlements in the occupied territory.

Palestinians warn that the attacks are paving the way for Israel to formally annex the West Bank, which would end the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state under relevant UN resolutions

Israel was established in 1948 on lands occupied by armed Zionist groups that carried out massacres and displaced at least 750,000 Palestinians. It later occupied further territories and refuses to withdraw or allow the establishment of a Palestinian state.

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