Israeli forces withdrew from a house they had seized in the town of Turmus Ayya in the occupied West Bank after reported intervention by the US Embassy, according to Israel’s public broadcaster Kan.
Kan reported on Tuesday that Israeli forces entered the property, located northeast of Ramallah, on Monday and initially intended to use it as an advanced military position for conducting raids and arrest operations.
According to the broadcaster, the house belongs to a Palestinian doctor and his family, all of whom hold US citizenship.
Kan said that despite an American flag being displayed at the property, Israeli forces ordered the family to leave before occupying the house for military purposes.
The report stated that the US Embassy in Israel protested the seizure of the home and pressed Israeli security authorities to reverse the decision. According to Kan, Israeli soldiers were subsequently instructed to vacate the property.
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In response to an inquiry from the broadcaster, the US Embassy said: “The US Department of State places the utmost importance on ensuring the safety and security of its citizens residing outside the United States.”
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) had not commented on the report at the time of publication.
The occupied West Bank has seen frequent Israeli military operations involving raids, arrests, and searches. Palestinian officials and residents have also reported increasing attacks on civilians and property by Israeli settlers.
According to Palestinian officials, Israeli violence in the West Bank has intensified since the outbreak of Israel’s genocide in Gaza in October 2023, resulting in killing more than 1,182 Palestinians, wounding around 13,000 others and the arrest of nearly 24,000 Palestinians.
READ: UN official warns Gaza recovery ‘far too slow’ as occupied West Bank escalation risk grows
