Israeli Forces Seal Hebron Entrances, Displace 2,200 After Checkpoint Shooting

Israeli forces sealed every road into Hebron on Friday, blocking entry and exit to the occupied West Bank city after two soldiers were killed at a checkpoint. Mayor Yousef Jaabari said roughly 2,200 Palestinians were ordered from their homes.

The shooting unfolded early Friday near the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint, west of Hebron in the north of the city. Two suspected Palestinians opened fire on troops at the site; two soldiers died and three others were wounded.

Jaabari said the forced departures struck Deir Bahala, al-Jalda and nearby neighbourhoods, taking in elderly people, women and children. The affected area spans about 330 dunams and contains more than 490 housing units. He called Hebron a disaster zone and said no one could enter or leave.

The Palestinian Information Centre reported that Israeli forces detained at least 40 Palestinians on Saturday evening and demolished businesses and residential buildings during the crackdown. Residents told Middle East Eye that soldiers handed families five minutes to leave. Social media video showed Palestinian truck drivers hauling goods and supplies out of factories before demolition crews moved in.

Following the shooting, Israeli forces shut the Ibrahimi Mosque and removed its staff and custodians, the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs said. Jaabari reported that no prayers are being held there and that the call to prayer has been banned. The municipality opened a crisis hotline and Jaabari said he declared a state of emergency to meet displaced residents' needs.

Jaabari questioned the timing of the closures, accusing far-right members of the Israeli government of attempting to use Hebron and its Ibrahimi Mosque, along with residents and their homes, as free election publicity for ministers contesting elections in the coming days. Israeli forces detained at least 40 Palestinians on Saturday evening, the Palestinian Information Centre reported.