Hebron Demolitions Force 1,500 Out

Approximately 1,500 residents of Hebron were forced from their homes by Saturday afternoon, according to the city municipality. The local government reported that 35 hectares in the Ein Deir Baha district had been destroyed or marked for demolition. The city, home to 250,000 people, was sealed off with checkpoints on all entry points.

The operation followed a gunfight at an Israeli military checkpoint outside Hebron on Friday. Two gunmen attacked the post, killing two soldiers and wounding three others. Both attackers were killed during the 20-minute exchange. Local authorities stated that Ein Deir Baha was the home district of the gunmen. Palestinian officials described the subsequent demolitions as collective punishment.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich visited the checkpoint site and pledged a strong response. Netanyahu stated that Israel would "act to destroy this place." Smotrich, who is running for election with a smaller coalition, ordered the immediate demolition of structures near the attack site. He also called for a comprehensive military campaign similar to operations in Gaza and Lebanon. Smotrich was filmed in body armor while observing the destruction of a Palestinian building.

Videos from residents showed extensive damage across several urban blocks. One clip captured soldiers marking houses with black crosses, while another showed a bulldozer removing a stone wall. A large residential building, reportedly belonging to a prominent local family, was draped in Israeli flags and used as a temporary military headquarters. The municipality said about 300 families were evicted, with some staying with relatives and others housed in community halls.

Issa Amro, a civil rights activist in Hebron, criticized the scope of the operation. He noted that his sister's family was among those displaced and that many affected residents had no connection to the attack. Amro said, "We are being collectively punished for something we neither did nor supported." He questioned whether the demolitions were primarily election propaganda or part of a longer-term military plan. The Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Israel plans to displace an additional 2,500 people.

National elections are scheduled to take place in four days. The Israeli army was contacted for comment regarding the extent of the destruction and the videos released by residents.