Israel Locks Down Hebron After Fatal Raid; Thousands Displaced

Israeli forces imposed a total blockade on the city of Hebron on Saturday, displacing thousands of residents following a deadly attack on a military base. The occupation began immediately after two Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers at an army reserve post on Friday. Both attackers were eliminated during the engagement. The military has since conducted widespread operations across the West Bank, restricting movement and detaining hundreds of locals.

Yousef al-Ja'bari, the mayor of Hebron, stated that 2,200 people have been forced from their homes due to the ongoing military activity. He reported that hundreds of raids have occurred since the initial attack on Friday. Al-Ja'bari noted that residents received evacuation orders via loudspeakers late at night, leaving families with minimal time to gather belongings. On Saturday, the city was sealed off, preventing both entry and exit for its inhabitants.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a full lockdown of the West Bank in response to the Friday incident. Israeli journalists documented operations near the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint in Hebron, where soldiers bulldozed homes and vehicles. During this operation, troops fired a stun grenade at Al Jazeera journalists covering the event. Correspondents confirmed that military raids took place in at least 15 areas of the West Bank on Saturday.

The raids extended from the northern cities of Jenin and Nablus to the central zones of Ramallah, Al-Bireh, Birzeit, and East Jerusalem, as well as Bethlehem in the south. The Palestinian Prisoners' Society reported that Israeli forces arrested approximately 70 Palestinians during these operations. The Palestinian Authority, which administers the West Bank, labeled the actions collective punishment. It pointed to home demolitions, the forced displacement of entire neighborhoods, and the siege of Palestinian cities as evidence of this policy.

Hamas issued a statement criticizing the occupation and its settlers, arguing that the escalations will fuel further outrage. About 200,000 Palestinians reside in the city of Hebron, while another 600,000 live elsewhere in the governorate, the most populous region in the West Bank. Issa Amro, a Palestinian activist based in Hebron, described the population as under siege with all entrances and exits closed since morning. He stated that there is no safe place to hide inside the city and that the population is living in fear.

The military actions are occurring days before Israeli parliamentary elections scheduled for October 27. Nour Odeh, a correspondent for Al Jazeera, observed that politicians are attempting to capitalize on the attack to influence voters. She noted that Netanyahu and his Likud party, along with right-wing coalition allies, are trailing in the polls. Consequently, they are projecting strength by emphasizing their combat efforts against Palestinians. Netanyahu avoided directly answering whether he intends to dismantle the Palestinian Authority but indicated that a big surprise awaits the organization.