‘A disaster zone’: Hebron is under full Israeli siege, mayor says

Israeli forces have sealed off all entrances to Hebron in the occupied West Bank and forcibly displaced around 2,200 Palestinians from their homes, Mayor Yousef Jaabari told Middle East Eye on Saturday evening.

“Hebron is now a disaster zone. The occupation has closed all entrances to the city. No one can enter or leave,” Jaabari said, accusing Israel of imposing collective punishment following a deadly shooting on Friday.

Two suspected Palestinians opened fire on Israeli troops at a checkpoint in northern Hebron early in the day near the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint west of Hebron, killing two soldiers and wounding three others.

Hebron has approximately 320,000 residents and is the administrative centre of a governorate home to around one million people, according to the mayor.

Jaabari said Israeli forces forcibly evicted around 2,200 people, including elderly people, women and children, from Deir Bahala, al-Jalda and surrounding neighbourhoods. The affected area spans approximately 330 dunams and contains more than 490 housing units.