Israel demolishes homes of Hebron attackers amid wider West Bank operation

Israel demolished on Friday the homes of the two gunmen who killed Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint in Hebron, continuing a wider operation that has forced more than 3,000 Palestinians to leave their homes. The demolitions followed an October 23 attack in which the assailants were killed and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to act in the area surrounding the checkpoint.

The Israeli military said the demolitions were intended to "continue to operate proactively and offensively" to prevent further attacks and to protect local residents. According to local witnesses, the houses destroyed had been occupied by the gunmen’s wives and children, and other structures such as shops, roads and factories have also been razed since the attack.

The campaign has included the closure of most entrances to Hebron, limiting movement for residents, including those needing medical care. UN human-rights chief Volker Türk warned that the scale of displacement raises concerns about the proportionality of force and the potential erasure of entire neighbourhoods.

Palestinian officials suggested the operation could be intended to influence the upcoming Israeli general election, while the Israeli government maintains the actions are a direct response to the soldier killings. In a separate incident near Ramallah, Reuters witnesses reported Israeli settlers confronting Palestinians during the olive harvest, an activity that has seen a rise in attacks according to the Israeli rights group Yesh Din.