Israeli Forces Raid Homes in Beit Fajjar, South of Bethlehem

Israeli occupation forces raided and searched civilian homes in Beit Fajjar, a Palestinian town south of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, during an ongoing military incursion, according to the Palestinian news network Quds News (QudsN). As of publication, there were no reports of arrests or injuries.

Beit Fajjar is about 10 kilometres south of Bethlehem, between Bethlehem and Hebron, and has a population of more than 10,000. The town is one of the West Bank's main centres of stone quarrying and stone cutting, an industry that supports many local families. It lies near the Gush Etzion settlement bloc and Route 60, the main north–south road through the southern West Bank. Its location has made it a frequent target of Israeli military operations and settler attacks.

The raid is part of a pattern of near-daily Israeli incursions into Palestinian towns, villages and refugee camps across the West Bank. These operations have escalated sharply since October 2023. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has recorded a steep rise in Palestinian deaths, arrests, home demolitions and displacement in the territory over this period. During such raids, forces commonly storm and search homes, interrogate residents in the field and carry out arrests. Palestinian families say the raids often leave property damaged.

Under international law, the West Bank is occupied territory. In July 2024, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion finding Israel's continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful.

Qatar has repeatedly condemned Israeli raids and settler violence in the West Bank. Doha has warned that the escalation undermines prospects for peace and has called on the international community to protect Palestinian civilians. Qatar's position remains support for an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Qatar Standard will update this story as more details become available.