More than 200 families have been displaced in Hebron as the Israeli military conducts a sweeping crackdown in the occupied West Bank. Local officials report that homes and businesses have been demolished, with footage showing extensive destruction caused by Israeli bulldozers, including at least one entire street that appears to have been flattened.
Context of the Operation
The military operation was announced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, following the killing of two Israeli soldiers by Palestinian gunmen at a checkpoint. In addition to the fatalities, three other Israeli soldiers were injured, and the gunmen were killed during the incident. Netanyahu stated that buildings around the site of the attack and the neighborhoods from which the gunmen originated would be "destroyed."
Impact on Residents
Youssef al-Jaabari, the Mayor of Hebron, reported that over 1,000 people have been displaced due to the operation, which has primarily affected the Ein Deir Baha and Farsh al-Hawa neighborhoods. The military has targeted homes, businesses, industrial sites, and infrastructure, forcing many families to spend the night outside. Some residents were instructed to leave without their vehicles, while homes were marked for demolition with spray paint. Al-Jaabari estimated that the military plans to displace a total of 2,500 people from approximately 0.35 sq km of urban land.
