Israeli forces launched an aggressive military sweep across the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, displacing residents and sealing off the city following a shooting attack that killed two soldiers.
Military Sweep and Forced Displacements in Hebron
The operation began immediately after two Palestinian gunmen opened fire at a checkpoint near the city on Friday, October 23, 2026. The assailants were killed in the ensuing shootout. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed a major operation, and troops quickly entered the Ein Deir Baha neighborhood where the attackers lived, ordering residents to evacuate.
The Hebron municipality stated that 3,189 people had been forced from their homes by the ongoing operation. The Guardian reported that 370 families, amounting to nearly 2,000 people, were displaced specifically from the Ein Deir Baha sweep. Al Jazeera noted that about 2,500 people had been forced out of the city overall as some Palestinian homes have been converted into military posts and barracks.
The Israeli military told AFP it had arrested 40 people throughout the West Bank, including 20 in the Hebron area, after conducting searches in more than 400 sites since the operation started. The military detained 40 Palestinians it claimed were affiliated with Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Troops warned residents to evacuate Deir Bahha, though local residents interviewed by The Guardian disputed claims that the evacuation was voluntary.
United Nations Warnings of Ethnic Cleansing and Collective Punishment
UN rights chief Volker Türk warned that the operation raises serious concerns of ethnic cleansing. In an official statement, Türk noted that the aggressive sweep resulted in demolished homes and commercial property while confining many residents to their homes under a strict lockdown.
Eight new outposts have begun to be established in the South Hebron Hills area, with the approval of the IDF and led by the South Hebron Regional Council and Minister Bezalel Smotrich. 👇Read more herehttps://t.co/oOPLWShdw8
“Collective punishment is a grave violation of international law,” Türk said, adding that declarations by senior Israeli government officials indicate the punitive measures are designed to instill fear. He demanded that displaced residents be allowed to return home and that Israel ensure compensation and reparation for unlawful evictions and demolitions.
Speaking in Cairo, UN Secretary General António Guterres echoed those alarms. Guterres stated that relentless evictions and surging settler violence are creating an increasingly coercive environment where the spectre of ethnic cleansing looms ever larger.
[Israel launches collective punishment campaign in Hebron after two soldiers killed]“Benjamin Netanyahu and ministers promise demolitions and forced displacement after deadly gunfight“https://t.co/jslvdLCCS4””
Political Pressures and Leadership Disagreements Ahead of Elections
The military operation unfolds against the backdrop of a tense election in Israel. The vote is largely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu’s leadership and security policies. Prime Minister Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich visited the site of the attack on Friday to vow sweeping retribution.
The Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported a disagreement between Israel’s military chief and its political leaders over the length of the operation.
Hebron mayor Yousef al-Jabari criticized the actions as a political maneuver. “Netanyahu and his gang are using Palestinian land to displace Palestinian people, closing the city, closing the mosque, in order to achieve their political goals,” al-Jabari told The Guardian.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Hebron Operation
What triggered the Israeli military operation in Hebron?
The operation was launched following a Friday attack at a checkpoint near Hebron where two Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers before being killed in a shootout.
Israeli troops have leveled a neighborhood in Hebron, driving out hundreds of families in a war-crime act of collective punishment for a militant attack on an army checkpoint outside the occupied West Bank city. https://t.co/gGElk8AsTq
How many people have been displaced by the security sweep?
The Hebron municipality stated that 3,189 people were forced from their homes, while specific counts from local reporting indicate nearly 2,000 residents were displaced from the Ein Deir Baha neighborhood alone.
What specific violations of international law have UN officials alleged?
UN human rights chief Volker Türk stated that the sweeping steps, forced displacements, and threats to empty entire neighborhoods constitute collective punishment and raise serious concerns of ethnic cleansing.
With polls showing him likely to lose this month’s election, Netanyahu predictably tries to salvage the situation by launching a major military operation in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. https://t.co/8dC32o1vVL
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