The Israeli military intensified a wide-scale security operation across the occupied West Bank on Sunday, enforcing a strict blockade on Hebron and displacing hundreds of families just 48 hours before a pivotal national election. The military offensive, which officials say has already reached more than 400 locations, follows a Friday gun attack that left two Israeli soldiers dead and three others wounded near a checkpoint.
The timing of the operation has thrust security concerns to the absolute forefront of the Israeli political landscape as voters prepare to head to the polls on Tuesday. The upcoming election is widely viewed as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership and his administration’s security policies over the last three years of conflict. Netanyahu and several high-ranking members of his right-wing government visited the site of the Friday attack to vow a forceful response, with the Prime Minister stating that authorities had previously warned of attempts by “enemies” to disrupt the country ahead of the vote.
On the ground in Hebron, the humanitarian and economic impact of the operation has been immediate and severe. According to the Hebron municipality, the military sweep has displaced more than 2,200 people, including approximately 300 children. Military forces have focused their efforts on the neighborhoods of Deir Bahha and Al-Jalda, where the suspected gunmen were believed to have operated. Residents in Deir Bahha were warned to evacuate as troops conducted house-to-house searches for weapons and suspects.
Hebron Mayor Yousef Zuhair Al-Jabari reported that all entrances and exits to the city remain sealed, effectively paralyzing the local economy. “People cannot reach or enter the city, and they cannot leave it. The blockade has affected every aspect of life,” Al-Jabari said, noting that the restrictions have forced businesses to shutter and even led to the closing of a local mosque.
The military reported 40 arrests of individuals allegedly affiliated with Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad over the weekend. They also confirmed that the majority of Palestinian workers with permits will be barred from entering Israeli settlements on Sunday and Monday. Furthermore, all crossings into Israel are scheduled to remain closed until after the election process concludes on Tuesday.
The restrictions have forced residents to find desperate ways to manage basic needs. At various military gates, families were seen navigating the closures on foot, passing gas canisters and sacks of flour through narrow openings to relatives on the other side. In one instance, an elderly man was observed pushing his wife through a gap in the perimeter in a wheelchair, while other families pleaded with soldiers for access to reach medical appointments.
While the military has informed some residents that the closure could last up to 12 days, many locals remain uncertain about the true duration. Shadi al-Qawasmi, a resident displaced with his family, suggested the timeline might be tied more to the political calendar than tactical necessity. “This may be because of the elections or some political matter no one knows except God Almighty,” he said.
Hebron remains one of the most volatile flashpoints in the region, as it is the only city in the West Bank where hundreds of Jewish settlers live in the heart of a densely populated Palestinian area of 3 million people. This year has been particularly bloody, with 112 Palestinians and six Israelis killed in West Bank violence prior to this weekend’s escalation. The military maintains that the gunmen involved in the Friday attack were likely planning a larger assault on civilians before they were intercepted.
