In brief
Israeli troops left Hebron on Monday after a week‑long operation that started after a shooting that killed two soldiers. The operation involved evicting families, demolishing houses and detaining suspects, and residents began returning to their homes. The withdrawal came after the Defense Minister decided to end the operation despite the army’s concerns about the timing relative to the parliamentary election.
Israeli troops withdrew from the occupied West Bank city of Hebron on Monday, ending a ten‑day operation that began after a shooting in which two Israeli soldiers were killed. The city of Hebron, located in the southern part of the West Bank, saw residents return to their homes as the operation concluded.
The operation, launched on 23 October, was triggered by a Palestinian shooting that killed two Israeli service members. In response, Israeli forces carried out the evacuation of Palestinian families, demolished several homes, and imposed widespread closures on the city. The operation also involved the seizure of four weapons, the demolition of the homes of the two attackers, and the detention of dozens of suspects.
According to an Israeli military spokesperson, the operation began after Defense Minister Israel Katz decided on Sunday night to halt the troops, even though the army had requested an earlier end before the country’s parliamentary election. The decision was reported by Israeli Army Radio.
Hebron’s governor, acknowledging the withdrawal, stated that Israeli forces had left the city after a 10‑day siege, allowing displaced families to return home. The governor’s statement was reported by Al Jazeera.
The withdrawal marks a temporary de‑escalation in Hebron, though the longer‑term status of the evacuated families and the legality of the demolished homes remain unresolved. Israeli authorities cited the need to preserve security, but Palestinian residents and international observers question the impact on civil rights and property laws.
Open questions persist about the continuation of compulsory military presence in the region, the legal processes for the families displaced during the operation, and the future of the demolished properties. The operation’s timing—coinciding with the parliamentary election—has also raised concerns about the role of domestic politics in conduct of military operations.