Hebron families displaced by military demolition

Residents of the West Bank city of Hebron face severe disruptions as Israeli forces demolish homes and businesses, displacing hundreds of families. Local officials report that the operation has sealed off the city, sharply limiting the movement of its 200,000 inhabitants. Video shared online shows the damage caused by bulldozers, with at least one entire street appearing to be completely leveled. The Israel Defense Forces stated on social media that they have dozens of targets across the West Bank and that the operations will continue for several days, though they did not immediately respond to specific requests for comment.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the campaign on Friday following an attack on a checkpoint by two Palestinian gunmen. Two Israeli soldiers were killed and three others wounded in the incident, while both gunmen were killed. Netanyahu declared that buildings near the attack site and the neighborhoods associated with the gunmen would be destroyed. He noted that this tactic of demolishing homes of suspected attackers is common in the West Bank, although Israeli rights groups have frequently criticized it as a form of collective punishment. The Prime Minister also compared the current actions to earlier campaigns in northern refugee camps during 2025, where hundreds of homes were destroyed and tens of thousands were displaced.

Youssef al-Jaabari, the mayor of Hebron, said the military focus was on the Ein Deir Baha and Farsh al-Hawa neighborhoods. He described damage to homes, industrial sites, and infrastructure, noting that dozens of families were forced to spend the night outdoors. Some residents were told to leave without their vehicles, while other houses were marked for demolition with spray paint. Al-Jaabari believes the military intends to displace approximately 2,500 people from roughly 0.35 square kilometers of urban land. The city governor and deputy mayor confirmed that at least 200 families have already been displaced.

The timing of the operation coincides with a general election scheduled for four days later. Netanyahu, whose campaign emphasizes security, canceled his party's morning campaign events to travel to Hebron. Wearing protective armor, he posted a video from the scene stating that forces would evacuate residents, search house by house, and remove weapons. He added that the goal was to destroy all terrorist infrastructure. During a television interview released on Saturday, he mentioned reviewing plans for the largest military operation in the West Bank since 1967, though he did not specify when it would occur. It remains unclear if the Hebron operation is part of those broader plans.

Netanyahu also threatened the Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the territory, with a very big surprise. The Authority has called for urgent international action that goes beyond condemnation to prevent further forced displacement. Within the Israeli government, reactions have been divided. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich urged a campaign in the West Bank similar to those in Gaza or Lebanon. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called for the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority. Mayor al-Jaabari told journalists that the operation was driven by the upcoming elections, asserting that Netanyahu and his ministers were attempting to win votes from far-right supporters and settlers.