Israeli Forces Displace Thousands in Hebron Raid

Israeli forces are striking Hebron with a ferocity that sends shockwaves through the entire West Bank. This latest assault is not just a local raid; it triggers mass displacement and economic strangulation, deepening a humanitarian crisis across the occupied territory. Palestinians in the city have endured days of brutal Israeli raids and forced displacement during this fresh wave of violence.

According to the Palestinian Prisoner's Society, Israel has imposed a strict lockdown on residents while detaining at least 47 Palestinians since Friday. The military operation began immediately after a shooting attack on Friday morning that killed two soldiers at a checkpoint in the Farsh al-Hawa area. Both Palestinian suspects were also killed in that exchange.

About 2,500 people have been forced out of their homes as troops stormed neighborhoods and converted civilian houses into military posts. The Ein Deir Bahha neighbourhood was hit hard, with dozens of families fleeing at night without any belongings. Hebron municipality data shows the targeted displacement area covers 350 dunams, uprooting nearly 500 Palestinian families in total.

Hesham al-Sharbati, a human rights researcher, told Al Jazeera that these actions represent a complete eviction campaign for a residential neighborhood. He stated clearly what is happening: "a form of ethnic cleansing." He added that the collective punishment of the Palestinian community amounts to a war crime. Moamar Yousef al-Awiwi, a municipal council member, agreed with this assessment.

"It serves as a crime and collective punishment contrary to all international customs and laws," he told Al Jazeera regarding the latest operation in the city. Rights groups have compared the current assault on Hebron to tactics used during the January 2025 "Iron Wall" operation. That previous campaign displaced more than 30,000 people and destroyed over half of their residential buildings in Jenin and Nur Shams refugee camps.

Hebron accounts for about 40 percent of Palestinian industrial output and 30 percent of exports. Economic activity has been badly affected by recent Israeli restrictions and assaults on the city. The region faces a severe crisis caused by Israel's war on Gaza and pogroms by settlers in the West Bank.

Ahmed Abu Qamar, an economic researcher, said current restrictions will be felt widely due to the city's significance. "Hebron… [is a] first-class industrial city," he told Al Jazeera. It is considered one of the most important pillars of the Palestinian economy regarding its broad industrial and commercial base. About 40 percent of the 89 main checkpoints in the occupied territory are concentrated in Hebron's most highly restricted zones.

The closure of all entrances to the city allowed Israeli forces to launch a large demolition operation on dozens of Palestinian buildings. Troops stormed homes with impunity, turning civilian spaces into barracks while families watched their lives upend overnight. This pattern of behavior leaves communities paralyzed and economically suffocated under the weight of military occupation.

Any restrictions imposed on it or any closures of its outlets or restrictions on freedom of movement … or military operation[s] will put pressure on the entire Palestinian economy in the West Bank." That is the stark reality for businesses in Hebron. Restrictions on trade and business activity there lead to "a rise in production costs due to the difficulty of supply and logistical disruption," leaving companies likely to miss delivery deadlines. "Ultimately, the halting of facilities or reducing production lines … [means] many economic facilities will be forced to either completely stop working or reduce their working hours to the minimum," he added.

City centre settlers The daily life of Palestinians in Hebron is also badly affected by the hundreds of Israeli settlers in the Old City. Under the 1997 Hebron Protocol, Hebron was divided into two sectors: H1, supposedly under Palestinian civil control, and H2, representing 20 percent of the city. The latter was to remain under complete Israeli security control with 7,000 Palestinians living there subject to the strict dictates of the military apparatus.

Israeli authorities have systematically expanded "closed zones" around settlements in the city centre, which are illegal under international law. In early October, Israeli authorities installed three iron gates across a 200-metre (220-yard) stretch of the Old City, further cutting off historical commercial arteries, such as Shuhada Street, where more than 500 shops have been forcibly shuttered over the years. Over the winter, many Palestinian residents are forced to navigate dangerous, unlit paths through local cemeteries just to bypass military closures and bag searches.

Religious site tensions At the epicentre of the H2 zone lies the Ibrahimi Mosque, revered by Muslims and Jews, who refer to it as the Tomb of the Patriarchs. This 14th-century site is part of the Old City, which UNESCO has recognised as a World Heritage Site, and has been subject to numerous assaults by Israeli settlers.

In 1994, an American-Israeli settler opened fire with an automatic assault rifle inside the sanctuary, killing 29 Palestinian worshippers and prompting the Israeli military to permanently partition the holy site and severely restrict Palestinian access to surrounding neighbourhoods.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced the seizure of planning and construction powers over the mosque and the surrounding H2 zone, stripping the Palestinian municipality of its oversight. In doing so, Smotrich declared he had abolished vital parts of the 1997 Hebron Agreement, marking a dramatic shift that further entrenches the occupation in the city.