Israel Razed Hebron District, Sealed City After Soldier Killings
Israeli forces demolished the Ein Deir Baha district of Hebron and sealed the city after two soldiers were killed; local officials report roughly 1,500 displaced.
The story in focus
Israeli forces demolished homes in Hebron's Ein Deir Baha district and sealed the city following the killing of two Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint, local officials said. Palestinians reported about 1,500 people displaced. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to destroy the area; elections are in four days.
- Two Israeli soldiers and two Palestinian gunmen were killed in Friday's checkpoint attack near Hebron; three soldiers were injured.
- Hebron's municipality estimated about 1,500 people were evicted from Ein Deir Baha by Saturday afternoon.
- The city's mayor said displacement was centred on Ein Deir Baha and Farsh al-Hawa, with homes, businesses and infrastructure targeted.
- The whole city was sealed by checkpoints; the military said operations across the West Bank would last several days.
- Netanyahu said buildings around the attack site would be destroyed, likening the operation to 2025 refugee-camp demolitions.
What happened and what Israel said
Israeli forces demolished homes and businesses in Hebron after two Palestinian gunmen attacked a checkpoint outside the city on Friday. Two Israeli soldiers were killed and three injured; the gunmen were also killed. Local officials said bulldozers flattened parts of the Ein Deir Baha district, with houses spray-painted for demolition and the city of about 200,000 residents cordoned off by checkpoints.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said buildings around the attack site and the gunmen's home neighbourhoods would be destroyed. The military said it had dozens of targets across the West Bank and its operations would last several days. It did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The operation precedes Israel's general election by four days.
Displacement and responses
Hebron's mayor, Youssef al-Jaabari, said more than 1,000 people were displaced, with dozens of families sleeping outside. The Hebron municipality estimated about 1,500 people were evicted by Saturday afternoon and about 300 families displaced; the governor and deputy mayor cited at least 200 families. A Palestinian news agency reported plans to displace a further 2,500 people, which the military has not confirmed.
The Palestinian Authority called for urgent international action against further forced displacement. Far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir called for a broader West Bank campaign and for dismantling the PA. The mayor said the operation was driven by the election, a claim the government has not addressed directly.
What has Israel said about its Hebron operation and how long it will last?
The military said its operations across the West Bank would last several days. Netanyahu said buildings near the attack site would be destroyed and likened the operation to 2025 refugee-camp demolitions. He did not set an end date.
Sources & further reading
- Palestinian families displaced as Israeli forces demolish Hebron homes, local officials say ↗BBC News
- Israeli soldiers raze neighbourhood in Hebron, driving families from homes ↗The Guardian
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