Israel choked Hebron with 10 closed entrances, leaving 5,000 forced to flee

Displacement rises rapidly

Some 780 families are displaced, according to the data Al Jazeera analysed. On October 24, Hebron’s mayor put the number of displaced people at about 2,200; two days later, it had more than doubled.

The municipality says the area targeted for eviction covers 0.35 square kilometres and is home to more than 500 families, or at least 2,500 people. Most displaced families stayed with relatives or host families in nearby areas, including Issa. No one went to official shelter centres, while 23 families found rented accommodation.

Entrances closed around city

The siege began on Friday, October 23, after two Palestinians shot and killed two Israeli soldiers in Hebron and wounded three others. The Israeli army then killed the two attackers.

Israeli forces closed 10 entrances situated between 2.4km and 7.6km from the city centre, according to Al Jazeera’s analysis. A military operations zone about 2km west of the centre covers at least 0.29 square kilometres.

Demolitions and arrests

In Farsh al-Hawa, near the western entrance, forces demolished a residential building with three apartments during October 23 and 24. They also targeted a ceramics company and car-parts shops, and bulldozed about 7,000 square metres of land.

Economic activity hit

Factory production capacity fell by an estimated 40 to 60 percent, according to Adnan al-Natsheh, vice president of the Chamber. Commercial truck movement stopped completely. The demolitions in Farsh al-Hawa caused damage estimated at more than two million shekels, or about $640,000. In September, Hebron governorate recorded 272 attacks, including 122 by Israeli settlers, and 19 demolition operations that destroyed 91 structures.