Shu’fat refugee camp – Abu Qteish’s house during a raid: capturing a photo of his mother and sending it to his son in Turkey, who was recently released
Since last Monday, Israeli forces have carried out widespread raids on homes of prisoners, released prisoners, and families of martyrs in Shu’fat refugee camp, Jerusalem, as part of a military operation called "Shield of the Capital."
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Jerusalem reported that one of the homes raided belonged to Majed Abu Qteish, a released prisoner who was deported to Turkey. During the raid, forces seized his mother's phone and tried to contact him by phone, but received no response. They also took a photograph of his mother with the Israeli flag in the background and sent it to him via WhatsApp.
Majed Abu Qteish was released in the 2011 prisoner exchange known as "Wafa al-Ahrar/Shalit" deal and was deported to Turkey.
The forces also raided the home of his nephew, released prisoner Mohammed Abu Qteish, detained and interrogated him. His father was summoned to a military checkpoint. It is noteworthy that Mohammed Abu Qteish was released in a prisoner exchange deal in October 2025.
The center noted that the campaign included extensive raids on the camp, its homes, and shops; the deployment of forces in the streets; the erection of police checkpoints; the imposition of fines on residents and merchants; the confiscation and destruction of goods; the summoning of residents to various Israeli institutions; and the arrest and summoning of young men and boys.
The center learned from released young men that the forces summoned some of them by phone, others through house raids, and still others were arrested and held in rooms set up at the military checkpoint. There, they were forced to sit on the ground with their hands tied, prevented from speaking, and subjected to beatings and shoving during their detention.
The young men added, "The arrests of several young men coincided with the rain, and they were prevented from wearing coats while being subjected to constant insults and threats during interrogation."
They said, "Many young men and boys were released after hours of detention and interrogation, while others were transferred to detention centers."
During the raids, the forces raised a large Israeli flag and took photos throughout the camp, a symbolic and provocative act directed at the families and residents of Jerusalem. The soldiers also released footage of themselves raiding shops and destroying merchandise.
