Israeli forces displace hundreds of families in Hebron after soldiers are killed
Israeli forces have demolished buildings and ordered Palestinian families from neighbourhoods in Hebron after two Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint; the attackers were also killed. Palestinian officials gave differing displacement estimates, from at least 200 families to 373 families, while Israel’s defence minister said about 2,000 residents had been displaced. The army said its West Bank operations would continue for several days.
Bottom line — Hebron municipality reported 373 families displaced by Sunday, as Israeli forces kept the city’s entrances closed.
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The demolitions and evacuations focused on Ein Deir Baha and Farsh al-Hawa, according to the BBC.
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KUNA, citing Hebron municipality, reported 373 families—about 2,422 people—displaced by Sunday morning.
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The Guardian reported that Israel’s military said residents had left voluntarily; displaced residents described being forced out.
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The military said it was searching for weapons and what it called terrorist infrastructure, according to Middle East Eye.
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The Palestinian Authority called for urgent international action to prevent further displacement, the BBC reported.
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Netanyahu announced the operation days before Israel’s general election; Hebron’s mayor said it was driven by election politics, the BBC reported.