Around 2,000 Palestinians Displaced in Hebron After Israeli Military Operations

Israeli security forces moved into Hebron, the West Bank’s largest city, following a gun attack on a military checkpoint that killed two soldiers on Friday. The operation, announced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, targeted the Farsh al-Hawa neighbourhood and the nearby district of Ein Deir Baha, which officials said was linked to the attackers.

Within hours the city was sealed off and bulldozers razed an industrial area in Farsh al-Hawa. In Ein Deir Baha, residents were ordered to leave their homes, and the Israeli army reported that 370 families – about 2,000 people – evacuated voluntarily. Local officials and residents dispute the claim of voluntary departure.

"Never, never, never. Why should I leave my house?" said Imam Fahed Ahmaro, who was forced to abandon his home after soldiers blocked the entrance and reportedly destroyed furniture.

"An intelligence officer told me if we didn’t go, they would displace us the same way they have done it in Gaza," said 77-year-old Abdul Halim al-Tamimi, who was given ten minutes to vacate his villa, which was later turned into a military headquarters.

The Israeli military described the displaced residents as members of the Jaba’a clan, which it said was associated with Hamas, a characterization rejected by locals who say the clan has no known radical links.

By Sunday evening, all road access to Hebron remained blocked by steel barriers, limiting movement to pedestrians. A delivery driver reported being attacked by settlers near a checkpoint.

"It’s collective punishment," said Hebron mayor Yousef al-Jabari, accusing the operation of displacing civilians and restricting media access.

The sweep comes days before Israel’s national elections, a period in which the Israeli government’s handling of security incidents is under intense domestic scrutiny.