Around 1,200 Palestinians displaced in Hebron as Israel begins military operation
Mass Displacement Reported in Hebron During Israeli Military Operation
Bdbusinessdaily.com – Israeli forces have ordered large numbers of Palestinians from their homes in Hebron, in the occupied West Bank, as a military operation expands around the city’s entrance following an attack that killed two Israeli soldiers.
A Palestinian municipal official said roughly 1,200 people had already been displaced by Saturday, 24 October. The operation focused on the Al-Jaladah and Ein Deir Baha areas, close to the military checkpoint where two Palestinian gunmen opened fire a day earlier.
The two attackers were killed by Israeli forces after the shooting, the Israeli military said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had announced on Friday that a major operation would follow the deaths of the soldiers.
Searches, demolitions and evacuation orders
The Israeli military said its forces were searching for militants and weapons in the neighbourhoods near the checkpoint. It also stated that demolitions would take place as part of the operation.
Palestinian Authority officials condemned the action, describing it as collective punishment. Hebron municipality head Yousef Zouhair Al-Jabari said the scale of the measures extended beyond those suspected of involvement in the attack.
Al-Jabari said a further 1,300 people could be at risk of losing their homes, on top of those already forced out. He said shops, factories, houses and roads had been demolished during the operation, calling the response excessive and unjustified.
Residents said soldiers had required people to leave homes despite having no known connection to the gunmen. Some residents also said they saw black X marks placed on houses after Palestinian families had been removed. The meaning of the markings was not immediately known.
“We are calling on officials to stand by us because we are not involved in any of this. There are children. We are isolated; we don't do anything. This is all arbitrary,” said Majdi Nasser, who said he was driven from his home.
The displacement adds to pressure on Palestinian communities in and around Hebron, a city that has long been one of the most sensitive locations in the West Bank. The area contains Palestinian neighbourhoods as well as Israeli settlements and military-controlled routes, producing frequent restrictions on movement and a heavy security presence.
Arrests and political tension
The Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, a non-governmental organisation, said Israeli forces detained about 70 Palestinians across Friday and Saturday. Israeli officials had not publicly commented on the reported arrests.
Al-Jabari linked the operation to Israel’s parliamentary election scheduled for Tuesday, arguing that Netanyahu and ministers in his right-wing coalition were seeking support from settlers as opinion polls suggested the coalition could lose its majority.
“Netanyahu and the radical ministers in his government are trying to win as many votes as possible from the settlers,” Al-Jabari said.
The operation unfolded as Netanyahu’s government continued to oversee rapid settlement growth in the West Bank. United Nations bodies and most countries consider the settlements illegal under international law, while Israel rejects that position.
Settlement expansion remains central to the wider conflict because it affects land use, access to roads and the daily movement of Palestinian residents. In places such as Hebron, military checkpoints, closures and separate access arrangements can shape whether people can reach work, schools, hospitals or relatives in nearby towns.
Closures deepen hardship across the West Bank
Israeli authorities have blocked entrances to many Palestinian cities and towns across the West Bank, sharply limiting travel. For residents, the restrictions can turn short trips into long delays or prevent journeys altogether.
Yousef Mur, from the Palestinian town of Yatta, said he was unable to travel to Jerusalem with his daughter for cancer treatment because of the closures. He described an attempt to cross in which stun grenades were fired toward people nearby.
“The situation is bad, and we are suffering. When we tried to cross, they fired stun grenades towards us, and my girl got scared on the way. They fired stun grenades towards people. The situation is very difficult,” Mur said.
The reported evacuations in Hebron highlight the human impact of security operations that follow attacks. While Israel says such operations are intended to locate weapons and armed groups, Palestinian officials and residents say the measures frequently affect families and communities with no direct connection to violence.
With homes, businesses and roads reportedly damaged, the immediate consequences extend beyond those ordered to leave. Displaced families must find temporary shelter, while damaged commercial areas and restricted roads can further limit livelihoods and access to essential services.
For Hebron’s residents, the operation has brought renewed uncertainty at a time when movement throughout the West Bank is already heavily constrained. The number of people displaced, the potential demolitions and the reported arrests indicate that the impact could continue well beyond the initial military search.
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