Israeli security forces seized about $450,000 in what they described as “terror funds” during a rare raid in central Ramallah, a city in the occupied West Bank and the administrative seat of the Palestinian Authority.
The operation, carried out on Tuesday, August 26, targeted a currency exchange business allegedly linked to Hamas financing. According to Israeli police, the seized amount—valued at approximately 1.5 million shekels—was taken in various currencies, including U.S. dollars, Jordanian dinars, and euros. Nine suspects were arrested during the raid, along with evidence said to support the allegations.
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that 14 people were injured during the operation, including an elderly woman who suffered from tear gas inhalation. Witnesses described heavy troop presence across Ramallah’s city centre, a move seen as unusually forceful even amid the recent escalation of Israeli military actions in the West Bank.
The raid reflects a wider pattern of intensified Israeli operations since the Gaza war erupted following Hamas’s October 2023 attack.
According to Palestinian Authority figures, at least 972 Palestinians, both militants and civilians—have been killed in the West Bank since the conflict began. Israeli sources report 36 Israeli fatalities in the same period due to attacks or clashes.
