Israeli Forces Withdraw from Hebron After 10-Day Operation That Displaced Thousands of Palestinians

Gaza (Terror Monitor) — Israeli forces withdrew from several neighbourhoods of the occupied West Bank city of Hebron on Monday, November 2, bringing an end to a military operation that lasted around 10 days and forced more than 3,000 Palestinians from their homes, according to Palestinian officials and international news agencies.

The withdrawal followed an Israeli military campaign launched after two Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others in an attack on an Israeli military checkpoint near Hebron on October 23. The two attackers were subsequently killed by Israeli forces.

Hebron Governor Khaled Dudin announced that Israeli troops had left the affected areas and that Palestinian security forces had taken responsibility for maintaining security following the withdrawal.

According to the Palestinian news agency WAFA, Dudin said authorities were making arrangements to facilitate the safe return of families displaced during the operation.

Residents began returning to their homes in the Al-Jalda and Ein Deir Bahha neighbourhoods, as well as other affected areas, after Israeli forces lifted their military presence from the streets.

More than 3,300 Palestinians displaced or affected

The operation forced more than 3,000 Palestinians to leave their homes, with the Hebron Governorate putting the number of displaced or otherwise affected residents at more than 3,300.

The Israeli military imposed extensive restrictions on movement, closed roads and checkpoints, and surrounded parts of Hebron and nearby areas. Israeli troops also entered residential buildings, searched homes and used some properties as military positions.

According to WAFA, the offensive resulted in the demolition of 15 homes and other facilities. The Hebron Municipality also reported that 327 commercial shops were forced to close during the operation.

The municipality estimated that direct daily economic losses exceeded 12 million shekels, equivalent to approximately $3.8 million. Damage to infrastructure was estimated at more than six million shekels, or around $1.9 million.

The disruption also affected education, with approximately 80,000 students in Hebron city unable to attend classes during the operation, according to figures reported by WAFA.

Israeli military says operational objectives completed

An Israeli military official confirmed the withdrawal, saying troops had left the operational area after completing their activities.

"This morning, following the completion of all operational activities, the soldiers withdrew from the area of operation in Hebron," the official said, according to AFP.

The official added that counterterrorism operations would continue throughout the occupied West Bank, referring to the territory by the biblical terms "Judea and Samaria," used by Israeli authorities.

The Israeli military said its troops had searched multiple locations, detained and questioned suspects, and seized four firearms, several vests and other military equipment during the operation.

It also confirmed demolishing the homes of the two Palestinians who carried out the October 23 attack and sealing an underground space near one of the properties.

Residents return to damaged homes

AFP journalists reported seeing residents return to their homes after Israeli troops withdrew, with many houses left in disarray following military searches.

Some residents found damaged furniture, overturned mattresses and personal belongings scattered across their homes. One resident told AFP that Israeli troops had forced their way into his house, threatened his family and frightened his children. The Israeli military said it was looking into allegations made by residents.

The Palestinian Civil Defence urged returning residents to exercise caution, warning them not to touch suspicious objects or enter damaged buildings before they had been inspected. Explosive ordnance disposal teams were also expected to examine affected areas.

International concern over the operation

The operation drew criticism from Palestinian officials and international bodies amid concerns over the displacement of civilians, restrictions on movement and damage to homes and commercial properties.

Reuters reported that the United Nations had said more than 3,000 Palestinians were forced from their homes during the operation. The UN also warned that collective punishment constitutes a serious violation of international law.

The withdrawal allows displaced families to begin returning, but the destruction of homes, disruption of businesses and damage to infrastructure are likely to complicate the recovery of affected neighbourhoods.

Despite the end of the operation in Hebron, the Israeli military has said its operations across the occupied West Bank will continue.