Israel Displaces 2,000 Palestinians in Hebron Amid Military Operation

DID Press: Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has said that Israeli forces have displaced around 2,000 Palestinians from their homes in the city of Hebron in the occupied West Bank. The displacement came a day after two Israeli soldiers were killed in an attack by Palestinian gunmen.

Speaking to Kan, an Israeli public broadcaster, Katz said Palestinians would not be allowed to return to their neighborhoods until the military operation was completed and what he described as Hamas-related issues in Hebron had been addressed.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the launch of a large-scale military operation on Friday. According to the Israeli military, two Palestinian gunmen attacked a military checkpoint near Hebron, killing two Israeli soldiers. The two attackers were subsequently shot and killed.

The Israeli military said the operation was being conducted in the Jallada and Ain Deir Baha neighborhoods, near the checkpoint at the entrance to Hebron, to search for gunmen and weapons. The military also reported that buildings had been demolished during the operation.

Yousef Zuhair al-Jaabari, head of Hebron’s municipality, had earlier said that around 1,200 Palestinians had been displaced from their homes, while another 1,300 faced the risk of losing their homes.

The Palestinian Authority condemned the operation as “collective punishment” and on Saturday called for international pressure on Israel to protect Palestinians.

The mayor of Hebron also alleged that the operation was linked to Israel’s parliamentary elections scheduled for Tuesday and to efforts by Netanyahu and his far-right allies to attract more votes from settlers.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club, a non-governmental organization, said Israeli forces had arrested around 70 Palestinians on Friday and Saturday. Israeli officials had not commented on the reported arrests at the time of the statement.