“Israeli” Assault on Al-Khalil Displaces Over 2,600 Palestinians as WB Crackdown Intensifies

By Staff, Agencies

More than 2,600 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced as “Israeli” occupation forces continued a large-scale military offensive in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron for a fourth consecutive day on Monday, carrying out raids, imposing sweeping movement restrictions and assaulting residents.

The offensive began on Friday, following a shooting operation that killed two “Israeli” soldiers. Since then, the military has closed all entrances to Al-Khalil [“Hebron”] and surrounding villages, severely restricting Palestinians’ movement and access to essential services.

Additional “Israeli” forces, accompanied by military vehicles, entered Al-Khalil [“Hebron”] around midnight through the Farsh Al-Hawa entrance. Troops also raided the southern part of the city near Jabal Karbaj.

Military reinforcements and large trucks arrived in the Al-Jilda area early Monday, where occupation forces seized several Palestinian vehicles, according to the sources.

Footage showed “Israeli” forces stopping and searching Palestinians at military checkpoints near Al-Jilda Roundabout, including an incident in which a young Palestinian man was mistreated.

Additional forces entered the Deir Bahha area, where further Palestinian vehicles were seized, witnesses said.

In another development, occupation forces divided a street in the Jabal Al-Rahma area, separating Palestinians from “Israeli” settlers and further restricting Palestinian movement through their own neighborhoods.

Al-Khalil [“Hebron”] Mayor Youssef Al-Jabari said on Sunday that occupation forces had driven approximately 2,200 Palestinians from their homes since the operation began. He also reported the demolition of five commercial and industrial structures and a three-story residential building.

By Monday, a local relief committee had revised the displacement figure to approximately 2,649 Palestinians, highlighting the growing humanitarian consequences of the military campaign.

The Palestinian Prisoner Society reported that “Israeli” forces had arrested 50 Palestinians in Hebron since Friday.

“Israeli” War Minister Israel Katz acknowledged on Saturday evening that around 2,000 Palestinians had been displaced from their homes. He said they would not be permitted to return until what he described as “Hamas infrastructure” in the city had been dismantled.

The announcement has heightened concerns among displaced families over whether they will be allowed to return to their homes and resume their lives.

The assault on Al-Khalil [“Hebron”] comes amid escalating “Israeli” military operations and settler violence against Palestinians throughout the occupied West Bank, including East Al-Quds [“Jerusalem”], since the start of the war on Gaza in October 2023.

Palestinians have faced killings, mass arrests, home demolitions, attacks on mosques and vehicles and the destruction of agricultural land. Farmers have also been prevented from accessing their fields, while entire communities have been displaced and illegal settlements have continued to expand.

The latest offensive adds to mounting pressure on Palestinian communities already facing severe restrictions on movement, growing displacement and repeated military incursions.

With thousands of residents driven from their homes and essential routes closed, the situation in Hebron underscores the deepening humanitarian crisis across the occupied West Bank and the continuing impact of “Israeli” military operations on Palestinian civilian life.