Qalqilya – Occupied West Bank | October 8, 2026
In another painful scene unfolding in the occupied West Bank, local sources report that Israeli occupation forces are carrying out a wave of arrests during their ongoing raid on the city of Qalqilya, targeting former Palestinian prisoners who have already spent years of their lives behind bars. Even their families have not been spared.
According to preliminary local reports, those detained include:
▪️ Former prisoner Sameh Afaneh.
▪️ Former prisoner Wael Khalifa.
▪️ The wife of prisoner Raed al-Houtari.
▪️ Former prisoner Ashraf Jibril.
▪️ The mother of former prisoner Shadi Odeh.
▪️ Former prisoner Lotfi Juaidi.
▪️ Former prisoner Adib Ghalban.
▪️ Former prisoner Imad Juaidi.
▪️ Former prisoner Hashem Khader.
What makes these arrests particularly heartbreaking is that they have not been limited to former prisoners. They have also extended to a prisoner’s mother and another prisoner’s wife.
Imagine spending years waiting for your son or husband to return home from prison, only to find yourself facing arrest as well.
What is happening in Qalqilya raises serious concerns about the continued targeting of released Palestinian prisoners and their families, as well as the psychological and social pressure that repeated arrest campaigns impose on Palestinian society.
When does a Palestinian prisoner’s suffering truly end if freedom does not necessarily mean an end to detention, and even their family can become a target?
Qalqilya is more than just a breaking news headline. Behind every name is a family waiting, and a home living in fear of soldiers knocking at its door.