2,500 people face displacement as Israeli forces level Hebron streets

Israeli military bulldozers have leveled at least one entire street in Hebron, displacing hundreds of families in the occupied West Bank city.

The operation began on Friday, October 23, following the death of two Israeli soldiers in a shooting at a checkpoint. Three other soldiers were wounded in the attack, and the two Palestinian gunmen were killed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the response after the incident, stating that buildings near the attack site and the neighborhoods of the gunmen would be destroyed. He later said he had reviewed plans for the largest military operation in the West Bank since 1967, though he did not specify a timeline for when that larger campaign might begin.

Hebron’s Mayor, Youssef al-Jaabari, said the forces focused on the Ein Deir Baha and Farsh al-Hawa neighborhoods. He reported that the military targeted homes, businesses, industrial sites, and infrastructure. Al-Jaabari estimated that the operation aims to displace 2,500 people from an area of roughly 0.35 square kilometers. The city’s governor and deputy mayor confirmed that at least 200 families have already been displaced. Footage shared online showed extensive damage, with some residents forced to spend the night outdoors after being told to leave without their vehicles.

The Israel Defense Forces stated on social media that it had dozens of targets across the West Bank and that operations would continue for several days. The army also sealed off Hebron, limiting movement for its 200,000 residents. Israeli rights groups have criticized the practice of demolishing homes of suspected attackers as collective punishment. Netanyahu compared this current action to earlier campaigns in northern refugee camps in 2025, where the military destroyed hundreds of homes and displaced tens of thousands.

The timing of the operation coincides with Israel’s general election scheduled for October 27. Netanyahu cancelled his party’s campaign events on Friday morning and visited Hebron wearing protective armor. In a video from the scene, he said his forces would go house to house to remove weapons and destroy terrorist infrastructure. In an interview with i24 television channel released on Saturday, he threatened a very big surprise for the Palestinian Authority.

The Palestinian Authority called for urgent international action to prevent further forced displacement. Inside the Israeli government, 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. Speaking to journalists, Mayor al-Jaabari said the operation was driven by the election, claiming Netanyahu and his ministers were trying to win votes from the far right and settlers.