2,200 Hebron Residents Displaced as Israel Enacts Full West Bank Lockdown

Israeli military forces have locked down the West Bank and displaced 2,200 residents from Hebron following a deadly attack on an Israeli army reserve base. The military implemented a full closure of the territory after two Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers on Friday. Both attackers were also killed in the incident.

Yousef al-Ja'bari, the mayor of Hebron, provided the displacement figure in an interview. He stated that hundreds of Israeli raids have occurred since the Friday attack. Residents reported that soldiers announced evacuation orders via loudspeakers late at night. Families had limited time to prepare and few destinations to which they could move. Al-Ja'bari noted that the city remained sealed on Saturday, preventing both entry and exit.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, ordered the full lockdown of the West Bank after the attack. Israeli raids took place in at least 15 areas on Saturday. These locations included Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah, Al-Bireh, Birzeit, Bethlehem, and occupied East Jerusalem. The Palestinian Prisoners' Society reported that Israeli forces arrested approximately 70 Palestinians during these operations. Israeli journalists documenting a bulldozing operation near the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint in Hebron were targeted by soldiers, who fired a stun grenade at the group.

The Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank, characterized the military actions as collective punishment. The authority cited home demolitions, forced displacement, and the closure of Palestinian cities. It called on the international community to intervene. Hamas issued a statement claiming that Israeli campaigns and escalations would fuel further outrage among the Palestinian population.

Hebron is the most populous governorate in the West Bank, home to approximately 800,000 Palestinians. Issa Amro, a Hebron-based activist and political analyst, described the situation as a siege with all entrances and exits closed since morning. He said there is no safe place to hide inside the city and that the population is in fear.

The military operations occur three days before Israeli parliamentary elections scheduled for October 27. Nour Odeh, a West Bank correspondent, observed that Israeli politicians are attempting to capitalize on the attack. She noted that Netanyahu, his Likud party, and their right-wing coalition allies trail in the polls and are projecting strength by emphasizing their combat efforts against Palestinians. Netanyahu declined to confirm whether he plans to dismantle the Palestinian Authority but stated that a big surprise awaits the organization.