Israel Displaces Thousands in Hebron After Checkpoint Attack
Israeli forces placed Hebron under siege and displaced over 3,000 Palestinians following a Friday attack that killed two Israeli soldiers.
The Israeli Defense Forces placed Hebron under a full siege and forcibly displaced between 2,000 and 3,189 Palestinians following a Friday shooting at the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint that killed two Israeli soldiers. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the large-scale operation and the isolation of the city, while Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich ordered the demolition of factories and commercial buildings to establish deterrence.
Military operations focused on the Ein Deir Baha, Al-Jilda, and Farsh al-Hawa neighborhoods. The military flattened Farsh al-Hawa and seized residential buildings in Ein Deir Baha to use as military bases, claiming the residents belonged to a Hamas-associated clan. Local officials and the Hebron municipality dispute these claims, with Mayor Yousef al-Jabari characterizing the lockdown as collective punishment intended to serve political goals ahead of Tuesday's Israeli elections.
Humanitarian organizations report that hundreds of households lack safe accommodation, with some forced to sleep outdoors. Physicians for Human Rights Israel warned that the blockade is disrupting critical care for chronically ill and disabled residents. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk condemned the actions, stating the operation raises grave concerns of ethnic cleansing and the use of disproportionate force.
Internal friction emerged within the Israeli government as Military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir urged the operation's conclusion once objectives were met, though Netanyahu insisted it continue. Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that displaced residents would not return until Hamas issues in Hebron were resolved.
