Israeli army conducts unprecedented military operation in Hebron, displacing dozens of families

The Israeli military ordered approximately 250 families to leave the city of Hebron in the West Bank, where a military operation was launched, a move the Palestinian Authority condemned as forced displacement and called for international pressure on Israel to halt. In a statement, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had directed its embassies and missions worldwide to mobilize urgent international action against the escalation of the occupation’s crimes in Hebron, including forced displacement and destruction, as well as accompanying crimes and attacks targeting Palestinian citizens and their property.

Days before the intensification of the Israeli Knesset elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to launch an operation unprecedented for Israel since the 1967 Six-Day War and the occupation of the West Bank, vowing to exact a heavy price in response to the killing of two soldiers in an attack carried out by two Palestinians.

In the Ein al-Der Baha neighborhood, located between two hills, buildings were marked with “X” signs, indicating they were to be evacuated. The streets were empty of people and cars, except for two Israeli military vehicles, while an Israeli flag was hung on a house seized by Israeli soldiers.

Hijazi Shawer Al-Tamimi, the neighborhood’s mayor and a 70-year-old resident, said the army woke him at 1:00 a.m. and ordered him and other residents to leave. He had only two hours to pack, managing to gather only his clothes and official documents. Many families lacked cars and tried to find ways to seek refuge with relatives elsewhere. He said what was happening was because Netanyahu wanted to win the elections, adding, “The one who always pays the price is… the blood of the Palestinian citizen.”

Hebron Governor Khalid Doudin told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that about one-third of Hebron city was targeted in the operation. He added that Israeli soldiers began in the neighborhood from which the attackers came, but there was no guarantee the operation would not expand. “This is a case of collective punishment against citizens who have no connection or involvement in this matter,” he said.

The governor noted that 150 families were affected, while Hebron Mayor Yousef Al-Ja’abari and local activist Issa Amro estimated the number at 250 families. The mayor told AFP, “We will find them shelter and provide these people with all the assistance they need.”

The military said the operation would continue for several days, consistent with similar measures taken after previous attacks. However, Netanyahu promised a “big surprise,” while far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called on Israel to dismantle the Palestinian Authority.