Ramallah, Nov 22 (IANS): At least 3,000 Palestinians have been arrested by the Israeli forces in the West Bank since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict on October 7, according to Palestinian statistics.

In the past few hours, at least 40 Palestinians in the West Bank were detained by the Israeli army, according to a joint statement by the Palestinian Authority Commission for Prisoners' Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners' Club released on Tuesday.

The Israeli forces conducted the arrests in various places across the West Bank, including Jenin, Hebron, Bethlehem, Nablus, Ramallah, Jerusalem, and Jericho, while also raiding a number of residential homes, said the statement.

It added that among those arrested, some were apprehended at homes, some detained at military checkpoints, some coerced to surrender, and some taken hostage, Xinhua news agency reported.

The statement noted that the Israeli army's systematic arrest operations were intensified significantly in the area after October 7, when Israel launched weeks-long attacks on the Gaza Strip in retaliation for the Hamas surprise attack on southern Israel on the same day.