Israeli military operation in Hebron displaces thousands, razes neighborhoods

Israeli forces launched a large-scale military operation in Hebron on Friday following an attack that killed two Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint, displacing between 1,200 and 2,500 Palestinian residents and demolishing homes across approximately 35 hectares (86 acres) of urban area. The operation, announced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hours after the checkpoint attack, involved bulldozer demolitions, forced evacuations via loudspeaker orders, and the marking of houses with black spray paint crosses. Residents were subjected to security checks and interrogations before evacuation; families fled during the night with minimal belongings, leaving behind homes and possessions. The Israeli military stated the operation targets "terrorist infrastructure" and weapon caches in the Al-Jalda and Ein Deir Baha neighborhoods, where the two gunmen responsible for the Friday attack originated.

Local Palestinian authorities characterized the operation as collective punishment and disproportionate. Hebron Mayor Youssef al-Jaabari reported over 1,000 people displaced, with an estimated additional 1,300 at risk of displacement. The municipality activated an emergency response plan providing shelters, water, electricity, and sanitation services to displaced families. Some residents took refuge with relatives; others sheltered in community halls. The city's 200,000 residents faced severe restrictions on movement, with all entry points sealed by checkpoints.

The operation occurred four days before Israel's general election. Prime Minister Netanyahu visited the attack site in protective armor and pledged that buildings and neighborhoods connected to the gunmen would be "destroyed." Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, also campaigning, called for operations "exactly like in Gaza or Lebanon" and was filmed at a demolition site. Both Israeli officials and Palestinian rights advocates linked the operation's timing and scale to electoral politics. The Palestinian Authority condemned the operation and called for international action beyond condemnation. Human rights researchers characterized the demolitions as ethnic cleansing and collective punishment in violation of international law. According to security sources, Israeli forces arrested between 47 and 70 Palestinians during the operation, which the military stated would continue for several days.