QALQILYA, April 1 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) – Israeli occupation forces invaded the Palestinian West Bank towns of Qalqilya and Tulkarem early Monday, April 1, using 100 tanks, news agencies reported.

Hours after the Israeli occupation forces occupied the West Bank town of Qalqilya eight soldiers were injured during when a bomb exploded near them while they searched homes in the city, news agencies reported.

Meanwhile, news reports said that the Israeli forces abducted 11 foreigners who were inside Arafat’s headquarters in Ramallah who decided to stay with him in his siege, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.

The French activist Jose Buve is one of the European activists who have been taken by Israeli forces, and are being faced with deportation by Israel, AFP reported.

Israeli daily newspaper, Ha’aretz, reported that the Israeli forces were also operating in Tulkarem as they tightened the blockade over the city and in Beit Jala and other areas near Bethlehem.

In Ramallah, they maintained round-the-clock confinement of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, pinned down in his office.

The Israeli occupation army was getting ready to conduct operations in other Palestinian population centers as well with military sources saying that all cities of the West Bank would gradually “be taken care of,” as well as the Gaza strip, reported the paper.

Ha’aretz said that these operations are likely to resemble what has been done up to now in Ramallah. “The brunt of the work will be done by regular infantry units, though top-notch reserve units are to be deployed in some areas. Reservists will hold positions in various Palestinian cities after the regular infantry soldiers complete their assignments there,” said the paper.

The paper quoted army sources saying that U.S. pressure could cause the activities to be terminated ahead of what has been planned. “The aim is to carry out as many major initiatives as possible before Israel is forced to order a withdrawal of its troops,” the paper said.

Before invading Qalqilya, the Israeli forces cut electric and water supplies from the city and then 100 tanks entered from four directions.

In Qalqilya, the Israeli military claimed it was conducting searches for militants and weapons in order "to destroy the terrorist infrastructure" in the town, the BBC reported.

Residents said they could hear explosions from occasional shelling and heavy machinegun fire. They said the army was deploying snipers on rooftops in the center of town, located in the northwestern part of the West Bank on the "green line" border with Israel.

In addition, at dawn on Monday, tanks entered Bethlehem, approaching within 500 meters of the Church of the Nativity, the traditional birthplace of Jesus Christ, the BBC said.

Meanwhile, the Qatari-based Al Jazeera satellite channel quoted an official in the Ramallah hospital saying that hospital’s morgue has received 19 bodies so far, 14 of them killed in confrontations with the Israeli soldiers.

He added that the curfew imposed in the city has prevented families from burying their family members who died in conflict.

Al Jazeera’s correspondent said that witnesses saw Israeli soldiers take hundreds of Palestinians to an Islamic club near the hospital and then gunshots were heard.

A news report on Monday also quoted the Israeli army radio saying that six Palestinians were also abducted in the West Bank city of Azun.