Hamas arrests four family members of 85-year-old woman who was attacked

Four family members of the 85-year-old woman who was attacked by the Palestinian militant group Hamas have been arrested, her grandson told Al Arabiya on Sunday.Hassan Weshah, Um Jabr Weshah’s grandson, said some were arrested when Hamas members attacked his grandmother while others were taken into custody after.

“They were arrested for unknown reasons,” he told Al Arabiya. “Mainly because they were family members. [The arrest] was based on identity only.”

Videos circulating online earlier this week showed members of Hamas beating the woman. Hamas subsequently arrested two journalists, Mahmoud al-Loah and Tawfeeq Abu Jarad for publishing the video of the attack. They also arrested the family members for reportedly responding to the incident.

Al-Loah’s father Omar al-Louh told Al Arabiya that an unmarked vehicle showed up to their home and arrested his son.

“They charged into the house without any permit, or letter from the deputy,” he said. “They kidnapped my son Mahmoud and left and until now we don’t know where Mahmoud is.”

Al-Louh was reportedly told that the vehicle in which his son was taken away belongs to the investigation unit.

The Palestinian Prisoner’s Club, which is concerned with Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, said that the “barbaric attack on Um Jabr Wishah can only be conducted by those who have rid themselves of humanity and nationalistic feelings no matter what the reasons were that some are trying to market with the excuse of enforcing the law.”