The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Monday kidnaped a Palestinian businessman as he was trying to travel formally through the Beit Hanoun (Erez) border crossing in the north of the beleaguered Gaza Strip.

A Palestinian official from the crossings and border authority told Quds Press that Israeli intelligence officers arrested a businessman called Hasan ash-Sharafi a 31-year-old from Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza after he went to the crossing for an interview.

The businessman’s family was informed of his detention by the Israeli security authorities at the crossing the official added.

Since the beginning of the current year 11 Gazan passengers including businessmen and patients had already been kidnaped by the IOF at the crossing as they were trying to get permits for travel.

Instead of being denied travel and sent back to Gaza the IOF kidnaps many Gazan citizens after they submit requests for travel through the Beit Hanoun crossing and later go there to be interviewed in order to receive final approval.

The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Sunday evening kidnaped a Palestinian businessman as he was trying to travel formally through the Beit Hanoun (Erez) border crossing in the north of the beleaguered Gaza Strip.

The Gazan businessman Amer Barakah was kidnaped by Israeli intelligence officers at the Beit Hanoun crossing after he went there to receive final approval for his travel according to the Palestinian Commission of Detainees’ and Ex-Detainees’ Affairs.

Senior official of the Commission Abdul-Naser Farwanah stated that Barakah was the third Palestinian citizen from Gaza who had been kidnaped by the IOF at the same crossing since the beginning of 2020.

Since the current year started a businessman and another passenger from Gaza have been kidnaped by the IOF at the crossing as they were trying to get permits for travel from the West Bank to Jordan.

Instead of being denied travel and sent back to Gaza the IOF kidnaps many Gazan citizens including merchants and patients after they submit requests for travel through the Beit Hanoun crossing and later go there to be interviewed in order to receive final approval.

In 2019 13 Palestinian passengers from Gaza were taken prisoners by the IOF at the Beit Hanoun crossing.