WRLDWorldBreaking NO. ---
Hebron military operation displaces about 1,200 Palestinians
Hebron's mayor puts the number at 2,200 and warns around 1,300 more could lose their homes. The operation, launched after two Israeli soldiers were killed, comes three days before Israel's October 27 election.
Key takeaways
- Israel's military operation in Hebron has forced about 1,200 Palestinians from their homes, a Palestinian official told Reuters on Saturday, October 24, 2026.
- Hebron's mayor gave higher figures: 2,200 people displaced, according to Al Jazeera, and around 1,300 more at risk of losing their homes, according to Reuters.
- The Israeli military says it is searching for militants and weapons after two Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers near Hebron on Friday, October 23, and that it will carry out demolitions.
- All vehicle gates into and out of Hebron were closed on Saturday, AP and Euronews reported, and the Palestinian Authority called the operation "collective punishment".
- The operation comes three days before Israel's general election on Tuesday, October 27.
What happened in the Hebron military operation
The Hebron military operation launched by Israel in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, October 24, forced about 1,200 Palestinians from their homes, a Palestinian official told Reuters. It followed a Friday attack near Hebron in which two Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers.
The military said the operation is focused on the Al-Jaladah and Ein Deir Baha neighbourhoods, near a checkpoint at the city's entrance, and aims to find militants and weapons, according to Reuters. It said its forces were "conducting precise, targeted and thorough searches" in the area the attackers came from, AP and Euronews reported. Euronews, citing the military, said the operation was expected to last several days and that residents leaving the affected neighbourhoods were being sent through designated exit points for security checks.
Reuters reported that the military said it would also carry out demolitions. Hebron municipality head Yousef al-Jabari told Reuters that shops, factories, homes and roads had been demolished, and called the response disproportionate and unjustified. Residents told Reuters and Euronews that soldiers marked homes with a black X after the occupants were made to leave. The meaning of the mark was not immediately clear, Reuters said.
Reuters posted the displacement figure on X at about 16:45 UTC on Saturday. This article reflects reports available as of 17:30 UTC.
Displacement figures differ by source
Estimates of how many people have been displaced vary. Officials did not say whether they were counting the same neighbourhoods or the same time period.
| Source | Figure | Reported by |
|---|---|---|
| Palestinian official | About 1,200 people displaced | Reuters, Oct 24 |
| Yousef al-Jabari, Hebron mayor | About 1,300 more people face losing their homes | Reuters, Oct 24 |
| Yousef al-Jabari, Hebron mayor | 2,200 people forced from their homes | Al Jazeera, Oct 24 |
| Mayor and activist Issa Amro | About 250 families | Euronews, Oct 24 |
| Khaled Dudin, Hebron governor | About 150 families | Euronews, Oct 24 |
| Palestinian Prisoners' Club | About 70 Palestinians arrested on Oct 23–24 | Reuters, Oct 24 |
Euronews also reported that local Palestinian officials said the operation affected about one-third of the city. The Israeli military said it was focusing on the neighbourhoods linked to Friday's attack.
What we know and what we don't know yet
What we know
- Two Israeli soldiers were killed near Hebron on Friday, October 23. Euronews, citing the military, said three more were wounded. Both gunmen were killed.
- All gates into and out of Hebron could not be used by car on Saturday, according to Basma Radio, a crowdsourced checkpoint tracker cited by AP. People were seen crossing on foot.
- Activist Issa Amro told Al Jazeera that all entrances and exits of the Hebron governorate, home to about 800,000 people, had been closed since Saturday morning.
- Israeli raids were also reported in at least 15 other West Bank areas on Saturday, including Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah and Bethlehem, according to Al Jazeera.
What we don't know yet
- How long displaced residents will be kept out of their homes, and how many homes will be demolished. The Israeli army did not answer AP's questions about Saturday's evacuations.
- The exact location of Friday's attack. Reuters described a military checkpoint near Hebron; Al Jazeera described an army reserve base.
- Whether the attackers belonged to any group. No claim of responsibility was reported in the sources reviewed.
- Israeli officials had not commented on the arrests, Reuters said.
Reactions
The Palestinian Authority described the operation as "collective punishment", according to Reuters and the Palestinian news agency Wafa, cited by Al Jazeera. Governor Dudin said civilians who had "nothing at all to do with this" were being affected, in remarks to AFP reported by Euronews. Mayor al-Jabari said the city would find shelter and aid for displaced families.
On the Israeli side, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that the military would launch a large-scale operation, Reuters reported. Al Jazeera reported that he ordered a "full lockdown" of the West Bank. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for the Palestinian Authority to be dismantled, Euronews reported.
Background
Closures in the West Bank have become increasingly common, especially around Hebron, disrupting travel to work, school and between villages, AP reported. Israel has blocked the entrances to most Palestinian cities and towns in the West Bank, Reuters said. UN bodies and most countries regard Israeli settlements as illegal under international law; Israel disputes this.
The operation comes before Israel's general election on Tuesday, October 27. Euronews described a tight race between Netanyahu and an opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot. Al-Jabari told Reuters he believed the operation was linked to the vote. That is his view; Israeli authorities say their immediate aim is to deal with security threats after Friday's attack, according to Euronews.
Tensions are high elsewhere in the region. A gunman attack killed seven people at a church funeral in Karak, Jordan, on October 23. Washington has also ordered some embassy staff to leave Saudi Arabia, and its standoff with Iran continues.
What it means
For Hebron city's roughly 200,000 residents, a figure cited by Amro, the immediate effects are lost housing, closed roads and limited access to work, school and medical care. Reuters reported that closures stopped some people from reaching medical treatment in Jerusalem. With the military saying the operation could last several days, and the mayor warning that hundreds more people could lose their homes, the number of displaced people may rise.
Politically, the operation adds to the security debate in the final days of Israel's election campaign, and to international pressure over displacement in the West Bank. Bullquill's global tracker follows related unrest. We will update this story as the Israeli military, Palestinian officials and UN agencies release new information.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Israel launch a military operation in Hebron?
The Israeli military said it is searching for militants and weapons after two Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers near Hebron on Friday, October 23, 2026. Both gunmen were shot dead, the military said.
How many Palestinians have been displaced in Hebron?
A Palestinian official told Reuters about 1,200 people were displaced. Hebron's mayor told Al Jazeera the figure was 2,200, while Euronews reported local estimates of 150 to 250 families.
Is Hebron closed?
On Saturday, October 24, all vehicle gates into and out of Hebron were closed, according to AP and Euronews, and people were seen crossing checkpoints on foot.
Sources
- Reuters (via ThePrint): Around 1,200 Palestinians are displaced in Hebron as Israel begins military operation
- Reuters (via Yahoo News): Around 1,200 Palestinians are displaced in Hebron
- AP (via The Irish Times): Israel imposes closures across West Bank city after two soldiers die in attacks
- Al Jazeera: More than 2,000 forced from homes in Hebron amid Israel's West Bank raids
- Euronews: Israel removes around 250 Palestinian families from West Bank city of Hebron after soldier deaths
- Reuters (@Reuters) on X
