Netanyahu Orders Swift Response as Hebron Districts Face Sudden Demolition
Hundreds of residents were displaced in the West Bank city just days before national elections, following a deadly clash at a nearby military post.
By Carolina Wood ·
A massive military operation has reshaped the urban landscape of a key West Bank district in just one day.
Local authorities in Hebron report that 35 hectares, which is roughly 86 acres, within the Ein Deir Baha area have either been razed or marked for removal. The municipality stated that by Saturday afternoon, approximately 1,500 individuals had been compelled to leave their residences. The city, home to 250,000 people, was completely sealed off, with security checkpoints established at every entry point.
Footage circulated by local residents captures the scale of the destruction. Several residential blocks appear as piles of rubble. In one segment, soldiers are seen marking homes with black crosses. Another clip features heavy machinery dismantling a stone retaining wall on a slope. A third image shows a large apartment building covered in national flags. Locals identify this structure as the home of a prominent family, now serving as a temporary command center for the troops.
The intense ground operations began immediately after a violent incident on Friday. Two armed men attacked an army outpost located outside the city limits. A gunfight lasting twenty minutes ensued, resulting in the death of two Israeli soldiers and injuries to three others. Both attackers were also killed in the exchange. Military officials believe the gunmen originated from the Ein Deir Baha district, which is now the focus of the current offensive.
National elections are scheduled to take place in four days. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich traveled to the scene of the initial attack. Both leaders pledged a robust and immediate reaction to the violence. Netanyahu stated that the state would act to destroy the specific area. Smotrich, who is running for office with a smaller political alliance, appeared on camera wearing protective gear while standing before a building undergoing demolition. He announced an order for the immediate removal of a long line of structures he described as illegal and situated near the attack site. He further called for a broad military effort comparable to recent operations in Gaza and Lebanon.
A representative for the local government confirmed that roughly 300 families have been displaced. Some residents have taken in relatives, while the municipality has opened community centers and playgrounds to accommodate others. The state news agency Wafa reported that plans are in place to move an additional 2,500 people from the zone.
Issa Amro, a civil rights advocate based in Hebron, criticized the scale of the action. He stated that the population is facing collective punishment for an event they did not perform or endorse. Amro noted that the distress of the residents is being used as political fuel for the upcoming vote, leaving ordinary households to bear the cost. He added that his sister’s family was among those forced to evacuate their home.
In a phone interview, Amro explained that many displaced families have no link to the Friday incident. He expressed uncertainty about the long-term intent, questioning whether the current actions are merely a display for voters or part of a definitive strategy for the post-election period. The military department was contacted for a response regarding the ground operations and the circulating videos of the extensive damage.
