Israeli military siege on Hebron displaces nearly 5,000 Palestinian residents

An Israeli military siege on the southern West Bank city of Hebron has forcibly displaced nearly 5,000 Palestinian residents, Al Jazeera and the Palestine Chronicle reported. Al Jazeera stated that the lockdown entered its second week on Friday, while thecradle.co noted the military siege had reached its seventh consecutive day by Thursday. Al Jazeera identified 10 access points where the city has been choked off by Israeli forces. [1][3][4]

Data analyzed from municipal records and human rights organizations shows that exactly 4,969 people have been forcibly removed from their homes, Al Jazeera reported. The displaced population includes 441 elderly individuals, 336 infants under two years of age, 312 patients suffering from chronic diseases, more than 200 pregnant or nursing women, and 44 people with disabilities. [1]

Hebron is a historic city located in the southern West Bank with a Palestinian population of roughly 220,000 to 240,000 people. It contains the Cave of the Patriarchs, a site holding central religious significance for Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. As FTMQ News reported earlier, the displacement operations followed a Friday attack near Hebron in which two Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint. [6][8]

The United Nations previously raised concerns about ethnic cleansing after early displacement operations forced thousands from their homes in Hebron, as FTMQ News reported earlier. The initial military action led to the removal of over 3,000 residents from the area before the displaced total grew to nearly 5,000 this week. [1][8]