Israel displaces 1,200 people in West Bank after attack

Israeli military forces displaced approximately 1,200 Palestinians from their homes in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron on Saturday, according to a Palestinian municipal official. The mass eviction followed a deadly attack on Friday in which two Israeli soldiers were killed and three others wounded when two Palestinian gunmen opened fire at a military checkpoint near the city. The Israeli army stated that both attackers were shot dead during the exchange of fire. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Friday that the military would launch a large-scale operation in response to the killings. The military operation focused on the Al-Jaladah and Ein Deir Baha neighborhoods, located near the checkpoint at the entrance to Hebron. Israeli forces stated that the objective was to search for militants and weapons in the area from which the attackers had operated. In a formal statement, the army confirmed that it would carry out demolitions as part of the campaign. The military described the actions as precise, targeted, and thorough, noting that the operation was expected to continue for several days. Forces reportedly checked around 200 locations in Hebron related to the attack, finding no weapons, and held ten suspects for interrogation. Displacement figures vary among local officials. Yousef Zouhair Al-Jabari, the head of Hebron’s municipality, stated that roughly 1,300 additional people faced losing their homes, bringing the total potential impact to nearly 2,500 individuals. Other estimates differ; Hebron Governor Khaled Dudin placed the number of displaced families at 150, while Al-Jabari and local activist Issa Amro estimated that approximately 250 families had been forced to leave. A separate report cited by local media suggested that 1,500 people had already been displaced, with plans to evict another 2,500. Local authorities declared a state of emergency and formed a crisis committee to assist displaced families. Residents reported that the military expelled many people who had no connection to the shooters. Majdi Nasser, one of those driven from his home, said, "We are calling on officials to stand by us because we are not involved in any of this. There are children. We are isolated; we don’t do anything. This is all arbitrary." Witnesses told news agencies that Israeli soldiers marked homes with a black X after forcing occupants to leave. It was not immediately clear what the symbol signified, though local officials indicated it denoted cleared buildings. In the Ein Dir Baha neighborhood, streets were largely deserted as military vehicles patrolled the area. The Palestinian Authority criticized the operation as collective punishment. Governor Dudin argued that civilians with no involvement in the shooting were being unfairly targeted. "This amounts to collective punishment being imposed on civilians who have nothing at all to do with this," he said. The authority called for international pressure on Israel to protect Palestinians, stating that the growing threats of forced displacement and destruction required urgent action beyond verbal condemnation. Al-Jabari alleged that the military had demolished shops, factories, homes, and roads in Hebron, describing the response as disproportionate and unjustified. Al-Jabari suggested that the timing of the operation was politically motivated by parliamentary elections scheduled for Tuesday. Opinion polls indicate that Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition may lose its majority in the vote. "Netanyahu and the radical ministers in his government are trying to win as many votes as possible from the settlers," Al-Jabari claimed. Netanyahu had previously hinted at broader military actions, telling an Israeli news outlet on Friday evening that a "big surprise" was being prepared for the Palestinian Authority. Access to Hebron was severely restricted during the operation. Gates controlling entry and exit from the city were closed to vehicular traffic, causing taxis and cars to pile up outside. Palestinians were forced to cross checkpoints on foot. Across the wider West Bank, Israel has blocked entrances to most Palestinian cities and towns, significantly limiting freedom of movement. Yousef Mur, a resident of the nearby town of Yatta, said the closures prevented him from reaching Jerusalem with his daughter for cancer treatment. "When we tried to cross, they fired stun grenades towards us, and my girl got scared on the way," Mur said. Arrests accompanied the military sweeps. The non-governmental organization Palestinian Prisoners' Club reported that Israeli forces had detained approximately 70 Palestinians on Friday and Saturday. Israeli officials have not commented on these arrests. Separately, eleven international volunteers from Britain, Australia, Italy, Germany, the United States, and Ireland were arrested in the village of Al-bweib, south of Hebron, on Thursday. The group, which included a 62-year-old man from Dublin, intended to accompany Palestinian farmers harvesting olives. They were detained at a police station before transfer to an immigration center. The group maintained they were visitors and not engaged in activism. One Palestinian man arrested alongside them has since been released. Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade provided consular assistance to the Dublin resident, who has since returned home. The current escalation occurs against a backdrop of rapid settlement expansion under Netanyahu’s government. Settlements in the West Bank are deemed illegal by United Nations bodies and most countries, although Israel disputes this characterization. The military stated that residents leaving the affected areas could pass through three designated exit points, where they would undergo security checks and interrogations. Those raising suspicion during these screenings would be taken for further questioning. The operation continues as tensions remain high in the region.