RAMALLAH (Ma’an) -- Around 200 Israeli soldiers stormed two wards in Ofer detention center on Friday night, evacuating Palestinian prisoners at gunpoint, the Palestinian Authority Detainees Ministry said.

Palestinian prisoners spokesman Mahmoud Ghalmi said the inmates refused to be relocated from their cells and so were forced out.

Israeli prison authorities said they want to designate one of the wards for those held for criminal offenses and awaiting trial.

Palestinians held in the detention center reject being moved from their cells, Ghalmi added. He said 17 prisoners had already been moved to other detention centers, and the Israeli prison service said it will move him in two weeks.

There are 4,423 Palestinian prisoners currently being held in 20 Israeli detention centers, according to a report released by the Palestinian Prisoners Society this week.