Israel besieges 70,000 residents as it continues offensive on towns and villages northwest of Jerusalem

For the second consecutive day, Israeli occupation forces continued their assault and military siege on towns and villages northwest of occupied Jerusalem.

Local sources said the forces continued raiding the town of Biddou and closed its main entrance (the tunnel) connecting it with the town of al-Jib, hindering movement and preventing residents from entering or leaving — noting it is the only main road for around 70,000 people in the area. They fired live ammunition and stun grenades during the raid amid clashes, and fired poison gas and tear gas heavily toward hundreds of residents trapped at the entrance (the tunnel).

The occupation forces had raided several towns northwest of Jerusalem, carrying out arrest and search operations accompanied by heavy use of poison gas grenades. They raided the town of Qatanna and arrested a number of young men after storming a residential building, while firing gas grenades heavily and preventing ambulances from reaching a house.

Those forces also raided and searched a number of homes in the town of al-Qubeiba, and turned one of them into a military barracks.

Israeli occupation forces had closed all the entrances to occupied Jerusalem and the surrounding villages and towns on Monday morning, following a shooting that resulted in the deaths and injuries of several Israelis.