Hebron Residents Demand Return to Homes After Forced Displacement by Israeli Military

Dozens of Palestinians in Hebron, West Bank, protested on Friday to demand the right to return to homes from which they were forcibly displaced by the Israeli army. The protest, held near Al-Jaladeh Square, which is currently closed by Israeli forces, was organized by displaced families, including women, children, and the elderly. Participants called for an end to the military closure and forced displacement, asserting their right to return to their homes.

The Israeli military has maintained a blockade on the Al-Jaladeh and Ain Deir Bahah areas for eight consecutive days, coinciding with raids on Palestinian homes and damage to their contents. The military operation began after a Palestinian attack on Friday that killed two Israeli soldiers and injured three others. The two perpetrators were subsequently killed by Israeli forces.

Since then, the Israeli army has imposed a lockdown on Hebron and surrounding villages, seizing homes in Al-Jaladeh and Ain Deir Bahah and converting them into military barracks. The military actions have included incursions into residential neighborhoods, blocking city entrances, and forcing Palestinian families to evacuate their homes. In the initial days of the operation, Hebron witnessed forced displacement, demolition of homes, businesses, and infrastructure, with Israeli flags raised on some houses used as military bases.

According to the Hebron Municipality, 4,969 Palestinians, comprising 780 families, have been displaced due to the ongoing military operation as of Tuesday evening. The Palestinian Prisoners' Club reported that the Israeli army arrested 110 Palestinians in the governorate between Friday and Wednesday. The closures have also disrupted in-person education for 6,600 students in 66 schools, with 2,198 students directly affected by the blockade and 674 displaced students unable to attend school.