Ahed Tamimi, a prominent 16-year-old Palestinian activist, has been detained during a pre-dawn raid on her home by the Israeli army and border police in the occupied West Bank.
Ahed’s mother, Nariman, was also arrested on Tuesday afternoon during a visit to Ahed at an Israeli police station.
According to Ahed’s father Bassem, the Tamimi family, who are well-known activists in the village of Nabi Saleh, woke up with a shock at about 3am to the noise of Israeli forces banging on their front door and screaming.
Bassem told Al Jazeera that he opened the door for the soldiers, who pushed him aside and trooped into the house.
They forced the family into one of the rooms as they went about rifling through the household contents, throwing clothes and possessions on the floor and leaving behind a mess.
The soldiers then informed the family that Ahed was being arrested, without giving any reasons.
“Nariman was hysterically crying and attempted to hug Ahed, but she was thrown to the ground by the soldiers,” he said, referring to Ahed’s mother.
Despite Ahed being a constant fixture at Nabi Saleh’s protests, this is the first time she has been detained by Israeli forces.
Ahed was handcuffed and led by the soldiers outside to an Israeli army jeep. The family was prevented from following her outside.
According to Bassem, at least 30 soldiers were involved in the raid and Ahed’s arrest.
The soldiers confiscated the family’s phones, computers and laptops. Bassem told Al Jazeera that his 14-year-old son had refused to give the soldiers his phone.
“Six soldiers pushed him down and violently took it from him,” he said.
The family was left in shock following the raid.
