Israeli troops have handed the body of a Palestinian man who was arrested about an hour earlier in the occupied West Bank to the Palestinian health authorities.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society said on Monday that it had received the body of 58-year-old Ayman Rajeh Abed, from Kafr Dan village outside Jenin, shortly after he was arrested at dawn on Monday.
The director of the Jenin Government Hospital said the body bore signs of beatings and torture.
The Israeli military said Abed was detained during “counterterrorism” operations and experienced a “cardiac event” on arrival at a detention centre. It added that he was initially treated by medical staff from the military before being transferred to the hospital in Jenin.
“[Israel’s army] is aware of reports that the suspect died during his evacuation by the Red Crescent,” the military said in a statement, adding that details of the incident were under review.
The incident came as Israeli forces expanded their operations in the city of Jenin and the surrounding areas for a sixth day.
Bulldozers continued to dig up streets and major thoroughfares on Monday.
Israel launched the operation, one of the largest in months, last Wednesday, saying Iranian-backed fighter groups were planning to attack civilian targets.
Hundreds of Israeli troops backed by drones and helicopters have taken part in the assault. At least 29 Palestinians have been killed, with Israel claiming they were members of armed factions including Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Another 121 people have been wounded, according to Palestinian health authorities.
The assault has caused extensive damage to houses and infrastructure in Jenin and the densely-packed refugee camp adjacent to the city.
‘Collective punishment’
Al Jazeera’s Nida Ibrahim, reporting from Kafr Dan, said that Palestinians have described Israel’s actions in Jenin as “collective punishment”.
“They say Israel wants to show that Palestinians would pay a heavy price for supporting armed fighters – those who pick up arms and try to combat Israeli forces while they are raiding Palestinian homes, refugee camps and cities,” she said.
Late on Sunday, a man was killed in the west of Jenin city.
On Monday, the Palestine Red Crescent Society said another man was hit in the chest by gunfire in Qabatiya near Jenin. His condition was described as serious.
