250 families given one hour to leave Hebron homes after checkpoint shooting

Approximately 250 families were forced from their homes in Hebron on Saturday morning after Israeli forces gave residents one hour to vacate the area. The sudden displacement followed a deadly shooting at the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint on Friday, where two soldiers were killed and three others wounded.

Khaled al-Qawasmi, the deputy mayor of Hebron, stated that the military began the operation around midnight on Saturday. He said troops gave residents a strict one-hour deadline to leave their homes. The eviction covered the neighborhoods of al-Jalada, Ein Deir Bahha, Wadi al-Maghariba, and Shi'b al-Milh.

The two suspected attackers in the checkpoint incident were Ahmad and Hamouda al-Joba. Both men were killed by Israeli military fire. Their families reside in the al-Jalada neighborhood, which was a primary focus of the evacuation. The military described the action as an operation to thwart terrorism and dismantle what it called terrorist infrastructure.

Abdul Hamid Shahada, a resident of the area, said soldiers stormed his neighborhood shortly after the Friday attack. He described a large number of troops accompanied by military vehicles taking positions near the Joba family homes. The military distributed a map designating which buildings required evacuation and compelled families to leave.

Shahada said he and his family watched from their windows as other residents were forced out. He noted that soldiers beat one man during the process. The family packed small bags with medicines, phone chargers, and important documents. They stayed in their building waiting for further instructions and did not sleep all night.

Soldiers directed evacuees along a specific route toward Al-Salam Street. From there, some families went to stay with relatives, while others moved into shelters opened by the municipality. The Child Happiness Centre was among the facilities used to accommodate displaced residents.

The military told Shahada's family they could return 'until further notice.' However, other families were informed they would be kept out of their homes for six months to a year. Shahada said his family worried about the condition of their house after seeing neighboring homes left with open doors and windows and ransacked by soldiers.

The displacement coincided with demolitions of residential buildings, shops, and industrial facilities in Farsh al-Hawa. Local sources reported that around seven dunums of land were levelled. Israeli forces also imposed a broad closure on Hebron and its surrounding villages, blocking main entrances and roads.

At least 13 Palestinians were arrested in the city, while dozens were detained for field interrogations. The Hebron Municipality activated an emergency plan to prepare shelters and established an operations center to monitor residents' needs. Qawasmi warned that if the operation expands, the limited capacity of shelters could lead to a crisis.

The military operation is ongoing, and the closure extends to all entrances and gateways of Hebron. Troops remain deployed across various parts of the city. The figure of 250 families is not final, as more residents may be evacuated.