Hebron Mayor: 5,000 Palestinians Displaced or Affected by Israeli Siege

Approximately 5,000 Palestinians have been displaced or affected by the ongoing Israeli military operation in Hebron, now in its fifth consecutive day, according to Yousef Al-Jaabari, the city's mayor. Al-Jaabari described the situation as a "severe and large siege and collective punishment" imposed by Israeli forces on Hebron, one of the largest Palestinian cities. The siege also extends to areas within the city and the Ibrahimi Mosque.

Al-Jaabari reported "very significant losses" due to the military actions and siege, including damage to homes, property, and essential infrastructure like water networks, sewage systems, roads, and sidewalks. Numerous factories have closed because they cannot import or export goods, and Palestinian workers have been unable to reach their workplaces, exacerbating the economic damage. He stated that the full extent of the damage will become clearer once Israeli forces withdraw from the evacuated areas.

Information suggests Israeli forces entered homes, damaging them under the pretext of searching for weapons, though Al-Jaabari dismissed these claims as false, citing Israeli media reports that found nothing. The municipality estimates the total number of affected individuals, including those displaced from targeted areas and residents of adjacent neighborhoods impacted by the siege and military measures, to be around 5,000. He noted that a significant number of children, women, and the elderly were affected.

The Israeli military operation, which began five days prior, involves incursions into city neighborhoods, deployment of reinforcements, and continued displacement of residents. Earlier, the Hebron municipality announced that 4,969 Palestinians had been forcibly displaced from the Dair Bahat and Al-Jalda areas.

Israeli Minister of Defense Yisrael Katz acknowledged on Saturday that approximately 2,000 Palestinians were forced to leave their homes, stating they could not return until what he termed "Hamas infrastructure" was dismantled. Local sources and Palestinian officials, however, told Anadolu Agency that the city lacks Hamas infrastructure and described the operation as "retaliatory" and targeting civilian homes.