Hebron Mayor: City Sealed, Thousands Removed After Checkpoint Shooting

Israeli forces closed every entrance to Hebron on Saturday and removed about 2,200 Palestinians from their homes, Mayor Yousef Jaabari said. The measures followed a shooting on Friday near the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint west of the city, where two suspected Palestinians fired on troops. Two soldiers were killed and three were wounded, according to an account of the incident.

Jaabari said the affected areas include Deir Bahala, al-Jalda and nearby neighbourhoods. The territory spans roughly 330 dunams and contains more than 490 housing units, he said. Residents told Middle East Eye that soldiers gave families five minutes to leave. The Palestinian Information Centre reported that at least 40 Palestinians were detained on Saturday evening and that businesses and residential buildings were demolished.

The mayor called the operation collective punishment. "Hebron is now a disaster zone. The occupation has closed all entrances to the city. No one can enter or leave," he said.

The Ibrahimi Mosque was closed after the checkpoint shooting, and its staff and custodians were removed, the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs said. Jaabari said no prayers are being held there and that the call to prayer has been banned. The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs said the site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Palestinians have administered the mosque and used it for more than 1,400 years.

Jaabari questioned the timing. He accused far-right members of the Israeli government of trying to "use Hebron and its Ibrahimi Mosque, its residents and their homes, as free election publicity for certain ministers contesting elections in the coming days".

The municipality has declared a state of emergency and set up a crisis hotline for displaced residents, Jaabari said. Elections are scheduled for the coming days.