"44" On His Forehead: Israel Confirms Soldiers Marked Palestinian Detainee

Israeli soldiers marked Palestinian detainees with numbers on their foreheads during a raid in Qabatiya, south of Jenin earlier this week, the Israeli military has acknowledged after images of a detainee marked "44" sparked outrage, according to local media reports.

The incident took place during an Israeli military raid on Qabatiya, soldiers searched homes and detained several young men. The Israeli military said two people were arrested during the operation on suspicion of "planning and promoting terrorist plots".

What Happened?

Footage from the raid showed a Palestinian man with the number "44" written on his forehead.

The detainee, identified as Ahmad al-Hathnawi, said it was the first time he had experienced such treatment. He said he had been released from Israeli detention 10 days earlier after being detained four times previously. He described the marking as part of what he called "interrogation and terrorism" and intimidation of families and released detainees.

Al-Hathnawi also said around 50 detainees, including blindfolded women, were inside the house where he was interrogated.

What Did Israel Say?

The Israeli military confirmed that its soldiers had marked detainees during the raid.

"Commanders made clear to the troops the seriousness of the act, and lessons have been learned," the military said, according to the Times of Israel. The report said the IDF expressed remorse over the incident.

The practice is not entirely new, reported that Palestinian detainees were previously marked with numbers on their hands during a raid in Jenin in April. The Israeli military acknowledged that incident as "poor judgement".

Wider West Bank Raids

The Qabatiya incident occurred as Israeli forces continued raids and arrests across the occupied West Bank. troops were still deployed across Qabatiya on August 17 and had searched homes and detained several young men.

The wider context includes increased Israeli military operations, demolitions and settler attacks in the West Bank. UN-OCHA has documented repeated incidents involving settler violence, property damage, displacement and restrictions on Palestinian movement.

Israeli settlers had also intensified attacks on Palestinian communities, while the Palestinian prime minister's office said Israeli forces and settlers had carried out more than 467 attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank in one week.

The marking of detainees has therefore become another flashpoint in the increasingly contentious Israeli military campaign in the West Bank, with the IDF's acknowledgement confirming that the practice occurred while leaving questions over how widely it has been used.