Israeli forces have sealed off the occupied West Bank city of Hebron and demolished residential structures, displacing approximately 2,000 Palestinians following a Friday shooting attack that killed two Israeli soldiers, military officials and local authorities said.
The intense crackdown began after two Palestinian gunmen opened fire on an Israeli army post, leaving two soldiers dead and three others lightly injured, according to the Israel Defense Forces. Both attackers were shot and killed at the scene, and military officials later said they discovered a vehicle filled with ammunition intended for a broader assault, CNN reported.
Mass Evacuations and Demolitions
Following the incident, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered extensive military operations throughout Hebron and threatened to expand cordons across surrounding areas. By Friday afternoon, Israeli bulldozers had begun tearing down structures in the Farsh al-Hawa neighborhood of Hebron, giving some families merely minutes to vacate, NBC News and CNN reported.
Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem reported that around 240 Palestinian families were forced out of their homes in the Jildah and ‘Ein Deir Bahah neighborhoods over Friday and Saturday, with troops seizing buildings and hoisting Israeli flags. Hebron Mayor Yousef al-Jabari told Al Jazeera that as many as 2,200 people were displaced, stating that soldiers effectively besieged the city and closed every entrance, stranding approximately 200,000 municipal residents.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed on Saturday that roughly 2,000 residents were displaced by the operations. Katz told Israeli public broadcaster Kan that those evacuated would not be permitted to return until military objectives against militant networks were complete.
Raids Expand Across the West Bank
The military sweep expanded across at least 15 locations across the West Bank on Saturday, including Nablus, Jenin, Bethlehem, Birzeit, and areas surrounding Ramallah, Al Jazeera reported. The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society stated that about 70 Palestinians were detained during the raids, while medical personnel from the Palestinian Red Crescent said they treated nine people, including six children, for tear gas inhalation in nearby Halhul.
The military announced early Sunday that Palestinian laborers would be barred from entering most parts of the West Bank through Monday, followed by a full closure of all territory crossings on Tuesday, according to Al Jazeera.
The Palestinian Authority described the measures as illegal collective punishment, urging the international community to halt the demolitions and forced evacuations, the official news agency Wafa reported. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern regarding the closures and home demolitions, noting that such restrictions severely curb access to essential services and freedom of movement.
Election Stakes and Protests
The military escalation comes just before Israel holds national parliamentary elections on Tuesday. Political analysts and local Palestinian leaders noted the timing, suggesting Netanyahu is attempting to shore up security credentials and rally right-wing support in a tight contest against former army chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot.
In Tel Aviv on Saturday evening, thousands of demonstrators gathered for an anti-government rally organized by the October Council, an organization formed by relatives of victims and hostages from the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, demanding an official commission of inquiry, BBC News reported.
Israeli officials have not stated when the cordons will be lifted or whether displaced residents will be allowed to rebuild homes demolished during the operations.
