On September 19, 2024

Location: Qabatiya, a town in the northern West Bank near Jenin, approximately 7 km south of Jenin.

Crisis: Nearly 1,000 students were trapped in two schools, while 200 staff and citizens were besieged in the Education Directorate during a raid by Israeli forces, Wafa reported.. In a brief voice message, a teacher reached by Al Jazeera described “a very dangerous situation around us”.

Situation: The area had been turned into a warzone by Israeli forces, who used live ammunition, gas bombs, and rockets. Tear gas canisters were fired near the schools, further endangering the students and staff.

Trapped Civilians: For over 5 hours, students, teachers, and citizens were trapped, facing severe danger and exhaustion. The Israeli Army banned the buses that were going to evacuate the students of Qabatiya School from reaching the area.

Negotiations: The school administration engaged in negotiations with Israeli forces to secure the evacuation of students and teachers.

Evacuation: After hours of siege and harassment at the Martyr Izzat Abu Al-Rub School, the students were eventually evacuated safely on buses with the help of the Palestinian Red Crescent, but the town remained under siege into the night.

Raid Aftermath: The Israeli raid in Qabatiya left the area in turmoil, as violence and unrest gripped the town.

Testimony of Qabatiya Education Director Ahmad Jarara

• In a phone call with WAFA he said that "nearly 1,000 students are besieged in the two schools, while eight schools have been evacuated".

• He added that the occupation is besieging 200 employees who were inside the Education Directorate at the moment the special forces entered and surrounded the surroundings of the Education building.

• He added, "The situation is very dangerous, and we are trying to ensure the safety of the students through continuous communication to secure their exit, stressing that the occupation forces have turned the surroundings of Izzat Abu al-Rab and Qabatiya Elementary Schools into a war zone."

Sources

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/9/20/israeli-soldiers-filmed-pushing-bodies-off-rooftop-in-deadly-west-bank-raid