Thousands stuck for hours at Nablus checkpoints as Israel curbs movement

Israeli forces on Tuesday evening tightened movement restrictions around Nablus in the occupied West Bank as they pressed on with a military operation. Troops introduced stricter measures at Deir Sharaf and Sarra checkpoints, in the west of the city, as well as at Al Murabaa and Beit Furik checkpoints in the east, causing severe traffic congestion and trapping thousands of Palestinians for hours, the Wafa news agency reported. Israeli forces’ presence was bolstered across the West Bank hours after the release of 90 Palestinian detainees from Israel’s prisons as part of the Gaza ceasefire, isolating cities and governorates from one another using military gates, barriers and concrete blocks.