Hebron Under Siege: Israel Displaces Thousands Amid West Bank Raids Following Soldier Deaths

Israeli forces have imposed a lockdown and forcibly displaced over 2,000 Palestinians from their homes in Hebron, as military raids intensify across the occupied West Bank. This action follows the deaths of two Israeli soldiers and a subsequent order by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a "full lockdown" of the West Bank.

The Palestinian Authority (PA) has called for international pressure on Israel to protect residents of Hebron, who reported receiving loudspeaker announcements for evacuation late at night with little time to prepare. Youssef al-Ja’bari, the mayor of Hebron, stated that 2,200 people have been forced from their homes due to hundreds of Israeli raids since Friday’s attack on an Israeli army reserve base, which resulted in the deaths of two Palestinian gunmen and the two Israeli soldiers.

Mayor al-Ja’bari also confirmed that Hebron residents are currently unable to enter or leave the city. In a separate incident, Israeli soldiers fired a stun grenade at Al Jazeera journalists near the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint while they were documenting an operation involving the demolition of homes and vehicles.

Israeli military operations extended across at least 15 areas in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, including Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah, Al-Bireh, Birzeit, occupied East Jerusalem, and Bethlehem. According to the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society, Israeli forces have arrested approximately 70 Palestinians during these raids.

The PA has condemned Israel’s actions as "collective punishment," citing home demolitions, forced displacement of neighbourhoods, and the siege of Palestinian cities, urging international intervention. Hamas also released a statement, asserting that these escalations would only fuel further outrage.

Hebron governorate, home to around 800,000 Palestinians, is described as being "under siege" with all entry and exit points closed. Palestinian activist Issa Amro noted the lack of safe places within the city, creating widespread fear.

Al Jazeera’s West Bank correspondent Nour Odeh suggested that Israeli politicians, particularly Prime Minister Netanyahu and his Likud party, are using the events to gain political advantage ahead of the October 27 parliamentary elections, aiming to project a strong stance against Palestinians.