Hebron residents displaced as troops clear 200 sites after ambush
The evacuation affects roughly 2,000 people in two neighborhoods as the IDF searches for weapons linked to the Friday shooting.
By Malik Salazar ·
The Israel Defense Forces demolished buildings and infrastructure near the northern entrance to Hebron on Saturday. Troops and Civil Administration personnel carried out the demolitions as part of a major operation that began after a shooting attack the previous day.
The Friday attack at Yehuda Junction killed two soldiers, St.-Sgt. Ron Yonatan Roytman and Sgt. Yuval Shai Svilem. The military stated that the demolitions were conducted close to the shooting site to enforce order and remove security threats posed by the structures.
The Judea Brigade commands the counterterrorism campaign. It involves troops from the Duvdevan and Maglan units, the Paratroopers Brigade, Givati reconnaissance reservists, and Border Police. The Shin Bet security agency provides intelligence support for the operation.
Soldiers searched approximately 200 locations during the sweep. They cleared the sites of weapons and terrorist activity and arrested 10 suspects. The military identified the attackers as Hamouda and Firas al-Ja'aba, both affiliated with Hamas.
Military officials said the gunmen originated from the Ein Dir-Baha neighborhood. Assessments indicate that approximately 2,000 residents in the affected area belong to the Ja'aba clan. This clan is affiliated with Hamas and is located in the western part of Hebron.
Evacuations began on Friday evening in the al-Jalda and Ein Dir-Baha neighborhoods. These densely populated districts are within the Palestinian urban area of the city. Civilians who requested to leave exited through checkpoints operated by the Shin Bet and the IDF.
Officials explained that removing residents allows security forces to search structures and family homes for weapons, ammunition, and explosives laboratories without risking civilian safety. The area is known as a center of activity for Hamas operatives. A situational assessment was scheduled for Saturday to determine if the operation would expand. In the meantime, Brig.-Gen. Kobi Heller, commander of the IDF's West Bank Division, widened searches and arrests in Nablus, Jenin, Tulkarm, and other parts of Samaria.
