Hebron Offensive Displaces Over 3,000 Palestinians as West Bank Raids Intensify

Daily life for thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank has been upended by a seven-day military operation in the Hebron governorate. The offensive, which began after two Israeli soldiers were killed in a gun attack, has resulted in widespread displacement, movement restrictions, and the closure of schools across the region. While the initial incident involved the killing of two Palestinian suspects, the subsequent military response has expanded to affect nearly 5,000 people across 780 families, according to local municipal figures.

Hebron Governor Khaled Dudin reported that 537 families, totaling 3,361 individuals, have been forced from their homes. This group includes 232 infants, 326 older people, 147 pregnant or breastfeeding women, and 213 people with chronic illnesses. The disruption has extended beyond housing, with approximately 262,000 students across 589 schools forced to switch to remote learning. Local officials estimate the economic impact at 10 million to 12 million shekels, or $3.2 million to $3.9 million, in daily losses.

The violence and restrictions are not limited to Hebron. In the Qalandiya refugee camp north of East Jerusalem, Israeli forces conducted a raid on Thursday that led to clashes. The Palestine Red Crescent Society stated that two children were injured. A 15-year-old boy was shot in both legs with live ammunition, while a 12-year-old child was hit by bullet fragments. Both were transported to hospitals for treatment.

Arrests have also increased across the northern West Bank. Local sources and the Palestinian Prisoners Media Office reported that Israeli forces detained 13 Palestinians in pre-dawn raids on Thursday, including three brothers. Most of these operations occurred in the Nablus governorate, where soldiers searched homes and harassed families. In the village of al-Maniya, southeast of Bethlehem, disabled Palestinian Mohammad Ahmad Ayesh Thawabta was beaten by soldiers and settlers, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.

In the Masafer Yatta region, armed settlers attacked US journalist Jasper Nathaniel and two activists in the village of Umm al-Khair on Wednesday. Russian activist Adele Shoko stated on social media that the settlers beat the group, stole their equipment, and threatened them. Nathaniel was pepper-sprayed and subsequently arrested.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) noted that Israeli forces are still operating in Hebron, blocking access and imposing tight movement restrictions. The agency said these actions are disrupting access to livelihoods, education, and healthcare. Most displaced families are currently staying with relatives. OCHA called for measures to prevent further forced displacements and demolitions.

On Thursday, Israeli forces demolished memorials to Palestinians in several parts of the Hebron governorate. In the town of Dura, soldiers fired tear gas before bulldozing a mural featuring images of local dead, including Bajis Abu Atwan, who was killed in the 1970s. Al Jazeera reporter Muntasir Nassar said from Dura that the targeting of memorials appears to be a new pattern adopted by Israeli forces across West Bank governorates, with a higher rate observed in Hebron.

The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society stated that Israeli forces detained 110 Palestinians in the Hebron governorate from Friday to Wednesday. Soldiers beat two men in Dura and Wad al-Saman and arrested two brothers while they were plowing land east of Yatta. Forces also raided homes in Taffuh and Halhul, and settlers attacked vehicles at the closed northern entrance to Hebron city. Military and settler attacks in the West Bank have intensified since the war in Gaza began in October 2023.