Israel’s operation around Hebron has forcibly displaced more than 3,000 Palestinians, while closures have constrained medical access in the occupied West Bank city, Reuters reported.
An Oct. 23 checkpoint attack killed two Israeli soldiers and the two gunmen, Reuters reported. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu then ordered military action near the checkpoint. Israel’s government said the operation was a response to the attack on its soldiers.
On Friday, troops demolished homes that residents said had been occupied by the gunmen’s wives and children. Residents said Palestinian families in the surrounding area had been forced to leave during the prior week. Local officials told Reuters that more homes, shops, roads and factories had been destroyed since the attack, though the full extent was unclear.
With most entrances shut, Palestinians have faced limits on movement in Hebron, including when seeking medical attention, Reuters reported. The Israeli military said it would continue offensive operations to prevent attacks in the West Bank and “protect residents in the area.”
U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk said the forced displacement prompted concern over whether Israel’s use of force was necessary and proportionate. He warned that threats to erase entire neighborhoods raised concerns of “ethnic cleansing.”
