Israel seals off Hebron and displaces around 2,200 Palestinians after checkpoint shooting

Summary

Israeli forces have sealed all entrances to Hebron in the occupied West Bank and forcibly displaced around 2,200 Palestinians from their homes, according to Mayor Yousef Jaabari, who told Middle East Eye that the city is a disaster zone and accused Israel of collective punishment. The measures followed a Friday shooting at a checkpoint in northern Hebron, in which two suspected Palestinians opened fire on Israeli troops, killing two soldiers and wounding three others. Jaabari said the evicted residents, including elderly people, women and children, came from Deir Bahala, al-Jalda and surrounding neighbourhoods. Residents told Middle East Eye that soldiers gave families five minutes to leave, and the Palestinian Information Centre reported at least 40 arrests and demolitions of businesses and homes. Netanyahu ordered the army to prepare a full West Bank lockdown and a siege of Hebron, saying it 'will evacuate the residents' of the neighbourhood the gunmen allegedly came from. The Israeli military said all West Bank land crossings will close to Palestinians on election day, Tuesday, and Palestinian workers will be barred from settlements from Sunday to Tuesday.

Timeline

1. Middle East Eye

   24 Oct 2026, 22:28 UTCSource ↗

   Middle East Eye reports that Israeli forces sealed all entrances to Hebron and forcibly displaced around 2,200 Palestinians, quoting Mayor Yousef Jaabari calling the city a disaster zone and accusing Israel of collective punishment.

2. Middle East Eye

   24 Oct 2026, 22:36 UTCSource ↗

   Middle East Eye's live blog repeats that around 2,200 people were evicted from Deir Bahala, al-Jalda and surrounding neighbourhoods, and gives Hebron's population as about 320,000, according to the mayor.

3. Middle East Eye

   25 Oct 2026, 15:31 UTCSource ↗

   Middle East Eye's Israeli press review reports that all West Bank crossings will be closed to Palestinians on election day, that Netanyahu ordered a full West Bank lockdown and a siege of Hebron, and that he said the army 'will evacuate the residents'.