Nablus TV reported 80 military vehicles deployed throughout the day in and around the city - including armored jeeps, tanks, APCs (some with mounted sniper turrets), and hummers to enforce a 24-hour total curfew on this city of 150,000.

The Israeli army entered a number of houses in early morning raids, arresting over 40 people - including two journalists (one from the Al-Quds newspaper, and one from Nablus TV ).

By 9 am, a large roadblock had been erected in front of the destroyed Mukata building on the main road linking Balata to the rest of the city. This roadblock was removed by Palestinians following the last major invasion of Nablus in late December/early January in which 19 Palestinians, 15 of them civilians, were killed.

For most of the day sporadic clashes between the military and rock-throwing local shebab continued with a number of light injuries reported. Three serious injures were sustained by civilians in the El-Ein camp, two by rubber bullets and one by live fire.

Reports that the Israeli army had entered and occupied the Fatamiya Girl’s Middle School were confirmed by ISM volunteers on the scene. Testimonies from sources in the neighboring village of Salem reported Israeli military raids on a local school there as well.

Today’s invasion also adversely affected the 9,000 university students who study within Nablus but live in neighboring villages. On Saturdays students typically travel into the city for the beginning of the school week.

Meanwhile, medical personnel have reported some difficulties in moving ambulances and reduced response times due to the invasion. International media was conspicuous by its absence.

[Last-minute update]

This report was written last night, as of today however Israeli army forces have withdrawn from the city and life has returned to ’normal’, i.e. closure and siege. The threat of reinvasion though still hangs over Nablus and the curfew can be re-imposed at any point