Israel rips out Hebron homes of two men killed in soldier attack

The West Bank has seen a surge in military activity since 2023, with recent operations focusing on Hebron. On Friday, Israeli forces destroyed the residences of two Palestinian brothers who killed two Israeli soldiers last week.

The brothers, Ahmad and Hammouda al-Jaabeh, carried out an attack near the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint on October 23. That incident resulted in the deaths of two soldiers and injuries to three others. Following the killings, the military sealed off the area around the brothers' homes and began the demolition process on Friday.

Army engineers spent at least nine hours inside the buildings installing explosives before detonating them, according to reporting from the scene. After the blasts, troops backed by drones moved in as residents tried to approach the site. At least 12 Palestinians were detained during this phase of the operation, with some remaining in custody as of the latest updates.

The current military offensive in Hebron began on Wednesday of this week. By Tuesday, the local municipality reported that 4,969 Palestinians from 780 families had been displaced. The neighborhood of Ein Deir Bahha was completely emptied of residents, with some homes converted into military barracks and command centers. Hundreds of families in the nearby al-Jalda area remain trapped in their homes.

Since the start of the operation, Israeli forces have arrested at least 120 Palestinians and interrogated hundreds more. Demolition crews also destroyed at least 13 businesses located near the checkpoint. Officials have indicated they may accelerate similar demolitions in Area C, the section of the West Bank under full Israeli control, following measures approved by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Dozens of displaced residents, including women, children, and elderly people, gathered near the closed al-Jalda roundabout on Friday. The protesters demanded an end to the siege and the right to return to their homes. Raed Nairat, an academic specializing in Israeli affairs, described the operation as collective punishment intended to break the local population's will.

Hamas characterized the events in Hebron as part of a systematic campaign to reduce the Palestinian presence in the region. The group called for urgent international action in response. In other parts of the West Bank, forces detained four Palestinians in raids south of Tulkarem, while soldiers and settlers attacked olive harvesters in villages near Bethlehem and Nablus.