RAMALLAH: Israeli forces operating in West Bank cities on early Thursday arrested 16 Palestinians, Israeli and Palestinian security sources said.

The Palestinian sources told Arab News that the 16 Palestinian civilians were arrested in the West Bank governorates of Nablus, Qalqilyah, Jenin and Hebron.

Israeli security sources told the Army Radio that a gun was discovered in one of the houses in Nablus. The sources added that the detainees were taken to unknown locations for questioning.

A Palestinian researcher and expert in prisoners’ affairs, Abdulnasser Farwaneh, on Saturday said that Israeli forces arrested thousands of Palestinians since the start of 2009.

Farwaneh said in report that the Israeli forces arrested 4,525 Palestinians, including 412 in October. He added that the forces arrested 3,456 Palestinians in West Bank cities and 1,068 in Gaza Strip. Farwaneh said most of Gaza’s prisoners were arrested during the Israeli offensive on the coastal enclave early this year.

The report said that the prisoners included children, women, elderly people and patients. Israel holds more than 8,200 Palestinian prisoners in its jails, including 33 women, the report added.

Egyptian, German and other international mediators are working behind the scenes to obtain a prisoners exchange deal between Israel and Hamas movement.

Among those thought to be playing a role in the negotiations is France. Kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit holds French nationality in addition to his Israeli status.

In another development, the Israeli High Court of Justice has issued an unprecedented ruling warning the government to be careful before proposing the release of more Palestinian prisoners.

The three-justice panel criticized the ministerial committee that approved last year’s release of 250 prisoners as a “goodwill” measure to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Meanwhile, Hamas on Tuesday said that the Palestinian Authority’s security forces arrested 11 of its members and supporters in West Bank. Hamas said in a statement that the detainees included teachers, son of a Hamas lawmaker and Palestinian prisoners recently released from Israeli jails.

The movement added that the detentions were made in the governorates of Salfeet, Nablus and Hebron, which are controlled by President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement, Hamas’ bitter rival.