Hebron Mayor: 2,200 Residents Evicted, City Sealed After Checkpoint Killings
Israeli forces closed all entrances to the West Bank city, displaced thousands, and shut the Ibrahimi Mosque following the death of two soldiers.
By Thiago Kovalenko ·
Residents of Hebron can no longer enter or leave their city. Mayor Yousef Jaabari told Middle East Eye on Saturday evening that Israeli forces have closed every entrance to the occupied West Bank municipality. The blockade leaves roughly 2,200 Palestinians without access to outside areas, a change Jaabari described as a disaster zone.
The displacement order affected neighborhoods including Deir Bahala and al-Jalda. These areas cover approximately 330 dunams of land and contain more than 490 housing units. Residents reported that soldiers gave families five minutes to vacate their homes. The group included elderly people, women, and children. Videos posted on social media showed Palestinian truck drivers hauling goods from factories before demolition crews arrived.
The military action followed a shooting incident at the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint early on Friday. Two suspected Palestinians fired on Israeli troops at the site west of Hebron. Two soldiers were killed in the attack, and three others were wounded. The Palestinian Information Centre stated that Israeli forces detained at least 40 Palestinians on Saturday evening. Agents also demolished residential buildings and businesses during the crackdown.
Jaabari labeled the measures as collective punishment. He questioned the timing of the operations, accusing far-right members of the Israeli government of using the crisis for political gain. The mayor suggested the actions served as free election publicity for ministers contesting elections in the coming days. He noted that the government was leveraging the Ibrahimi Mosque and the residents' homes for that purpose.
The Ibrahimi Mosque, a World Heritage Site, was also shut down. Israeli forces removed staff and custodians from the location, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs. Jaabari confirmed that no prayers are currently being held at the site. Forces have banned the call to prayer. Palestinians have administered the mosque for over 1,400 years. In recent months, Israel has increased restrictions at the site, including barring some Muslim worshippers and facilitating settler visits.
The municipality declared a state of emergency to address the displacement. Officials are monitoring conditions and have set up a crisis hotline for residents seeking assistance. The city government is working to find shelter for those who lost their homes in the evictions.
The blockade and evictions mark a sharp escalation in the city. The closure of the mosque and the rapid displacement of nearly 2,200 people have altered the daily life of Hebron's population. The military presence remains constant across all entry points to the city.
