The Israeli army has confirmed reports that security forces marked Palestinians with numbers during interrogations in the West Bank. According to the Israeli daily Haaretz, soldiers wrote numbers on the faces and bodies of Palestinians with markers during an operation near the city of Jenin on Monday.
Photos and videos circulating in Israeli and social media appear to show a Palestinian man with the number 44 written on his forehead. Opposition lawmaker Ahmed Tibi, who is Arab, condemned the practice on X, saying such dehumanisation is "an image reminiscent of dark times that should shock every human being".
In response to media enquiries, the Israeli military stated that during an operation in the Kabatiya area, security forces marked suspects who were questioned as part of the operation. Commanders reportedly warned soldiers about the severity of this conduct, and the army claims that lessons have been learned from the incident.
This is not the first time such practices have been reported. According to the Times of Israel, the Israeli army issued a similar statement in April after Palestinians detained during a military operation in a refugee camp were marked with numbers on their hands.
On Monday, the Israeli military said it had searched 100 buildings in Kabatiya and detained two Palestinians suspected of planning attacks. Others were questioned, and some reports allege that detainees were also beaten. The army has not commented on these accusations.
