Israeli military operations in Hebron entered their 10th day of continuous lockdown, initiated following an attack near the occupied West Bank city on October 23 that resulted in two Israeli soldier fatalities. The siege has significantly impacted the Palestinian population and local economy, with municipal authorities reporting substantial displacement and financial consequences.
According to Hebron’s Mayor Yousef al-Jabari, over 3,300 Palestinians have been displaced or affected by the ongoing operations. The municipality documented 15 homes and structures demolished, with 327 businesses forced to close. Educational services have been severely disrupted, with approximately 80,000 students unable to attend school throughout the 10-day period. The mayor estimated daily economic losses exceeding 12 million shekels, with infrastructure damage valued at approximately $1.9 million and additional losses in health and environmental sectors totaling around $160,000.
The siege has occurred alongside broader security operations across the occupied West Bank. Israeli forces continued arrests of Palestinians on Sunday, with 10 teachers detained in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron. Military raids also targeted a United Nations-run school in the Shufat refugee camp in occupied East Jerusalem. Palestinian families expressed concerns regarding potential expansion of military operations in the region.
Separately, the United Nations humanitarian office documented 397 settler attacks on Palestinians across the occupied West Bank during October, marking the highest monthly total since tracking began in 2006. Between October 20 and 26, attacks targeted 49 Palestinian communities, with olive harvesting operations particularly affected. A total of 57 Palestinians sustained injuries during this period, including nine children, with 34 injured by military gunfire and physical assaults and 23 affected by settler violence.
Broader patterns of Palestinian property restrictions have continued, with Israeli authorities issuing 9,518 demolition or stop-work notices against Palestinian structures in the occupied West Bank since 2015, according to the Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission. During the first nine months of this year, 344 such notices were issued.
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