Israel seals West Bank as Hebron operation displaces thousands of Palestinians

Two Palestinian gunmen attacked an Israeli military checkpoint near Hebron on October 23, killing two Israeli soldiers, according to NPR. CBS reported that three others were wounded.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged a major military operation in response, NPR reported. The attack came days before Israeli elections in which security had been a central issue, according to The Japan Times.

On October 23, Israel imposed a lockdown across the occupied West Bank, Al Jazeera reported. The military described its response as a targeted and limited counterterrorism operation, according to Times of India.

By October 24, Israeli forces were demolishing buildings and erecting roadblocks in Hebron, The New York Times reported. The military said the operation would last several days and include searches and building demolitions, according to South China Morning Post.

Families were forced out as the operation progressed. Residents told Middle East Eye that soldiers gave them five minutes to leave. Euronews reported on October 24 that around 250 Palestinian families had been removed from the city.

On October 25, Israel announced that all land crossings with the West Bank would close on election day, according to Arab News. The army also said Palestinians would no longer be permitted to enter Israeli communities in the West Bank and Jordan Valley for work from that Sunday, The Hindu reported.

On October 26, UN human rights chief Volker Turk said Israeli threats to empty neighbourhoods in Hebron raised "serious concerns of ethnic cleansing," according to Middle East Eye. UN News also reported his warning as displacement reached thousands.

By October 27, more than 3,000 Palestinians had been forced from their homes, according to United Nations figures reported by CNA. The operation targeted neighbourhoods near the checkpoint where the soldiers were killed. Palestinians protested against military demolitions as Israelis voted.

Al Jazeera reported that Israel had sealed the West Bank and emptied parts of Hebron as the election campaign closed. The Palestinian Authority has called for international intervention, describing the military operation as collective punishment, according to Deutschlandfunk.

The immediate questions are how long the crossing closures and movement restrictions will last, whether demolitions will continue, and when displaced families will be able to return. The military initially described an operation lasting several days, according to South China Morning Post, but the latest coverage does not establish an end date or a timetable for families to return.