Hundreds of Hebron families displaced by IDF operations, uncertain when they can return - interview
The Israeli military did not give families ample time to pack before they were made to evacuate their homes and has not offered any assurances on whether and when they will be allowed to return, Riad Khamis, the spokesperson for Hebron's official Support and Relief Committee, told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.The IDF has established new checkpoints and evacuated parts of Hebron following a terror attack carried out on Friday by Ahmad and Hamouda Al-Jabar, Palestinians from the Ein Deir Bahha neighborhood, which killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded several others.Sharing data collected on Monday from Ein Deir Bahha, Al-Jilda, Khillet Al-Magharbeh, Farsh Al-Hawa, and surrounding areas, Khamis said that 407 households, comprising 2,649 people, had been affected by the military action.
Left out here: Drops what it reported before
The article never mentions that Israeli occupation forces demolished buildings during the operation and took over homes as military positions. The Post reported the destruction of structures two days earlier, and other outlets report a residential building and five commercial and industrial facilities demolished. Without this, a reader believes the families' homes are standing and simply waiting for their return.
How we know
- The Jerusalem Post wrote earlier“destroyed an unspecified number of structures in the vicinity over the weekend”IDF, Shin Bet forcibly evacuate 2,000 Hebron Palestinians in response to deadly Hamas attack (opens in a new tab)
- Anadolu Agency (English) reported“demolished five commercial and industrial facilities and a three-story residential building”INTERVIEW – Over 2,200 Palestinians displaced in Hebron amid Israeli offensive: Mayor (opens in a new tab)
- The Guardian reported“Fahed Ahmaro’s house in Hebron, now a military position”‘It’s collective punishment’: nearly 2,000 Palestinians in Hebron displaced as Israeli forces take over homes (opens in a new tab)
Left out here: Drops what it reported before
The article ties the displacement to the attack but never says what the Post itself reported. The army gave little information about any offences by the people it removed beyond their family connection to a clan, and the two attackers were killed. Without this, a reader believes the removals targeted people linked to the shooting rather than whole families.
How we know
- The Jerusalem Post wrote earlier“the IDF provided little information about the offenses of the 2,000 evacuated Palestinians, other than to say that they were familially connected”IDF, Shin Bet forcibly evacuate 2,000 Hebron Palestinians in response to deadly Hamas attack (opens in a new tab)
- The Jerusalem Post wrote earlier“Families who had nothing to do with the attack are being driven out”Hospital delays, curfews as Israeli peace groups condemn displacements of Palestinians in Hebron (opens in a new tab)
The figure included 1,109 people under the age of 18, of whom 180 were under the age of two; 218 elderly people; 115 pregnant or postpartum women; 28 people with disabilities; and 162 living with chronic illnesses.Milena Ansari, Director of Physicians for Human Rights Israel's Palestinian Territory Department, told The Post on Sunday that the disruption of routine for the chronically sick and/or disabled could create an emergency situation.“People with chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, or cancer depend on regular treatment and medication.
These arbitrary closures interrupt that care. Displacement also separates people from their medications, doctors, and medical records,” Ansari warned. "A condition that could be managed with routine care can quickly become an emergency, which then runs into the same blocked roads, closures, and restrictions on movement. Of course, winter makes every one of these risks even worse.”
The majority of displaced Palestinians have found alternative accommodationThough the large majority of the displaced Palestinians have found alternative accommodation, with related or renting other homes, Khamis said that 168 households had no safe accommodation available.“Some families found themselves without safe accommodation or a suitable alternative, and some were forced to spend the night outdoors,” he told The Post. “When we say that 185 families have no safe place to stay, we are describing a difficult humanitarian reality.
These families have no alternative accommodation beyond staying with relatives, resulting in overcrowded and unsuitable living conditions. Some are also struggling to obtain the most basic necessities of life.”Asserting the need for humanitarian intervention, he told The Post that from the data collected from the displaced so far, 231 households needed food supplies, 129 in need of medicines, 107 in need of baby formula and diapers, and 126 in need of shelter.Others have reportedly submitted requests for support with clothing, mattresses, blankets, and psychological support.Displaced families given inadequate time to prepare for their evacuationKhamis said that the displaced families had complained they were not given enough time by the IDF to prepare to leave their homes and that the evacuations “took place under difficult, high-pressure conditions… without sufficient clarity about how long the evacuation would last or when families would be allowed to return to their homes.”“There was no direct communication with the military, except through notices and demands to leave.
These did not provide clear and sufficient information about the duration of the operation, the nature of the measures being taken, or the guarantees concerning residents' return to their homes,” he said.Adding to this, Khamis said that they had received no information to suggest Israeli authorities established any arrangements to help facilitate the evacuation of elderly, disabled or sick Palestinians, which “presented a significant humanitarian challenge, particularly because some families include people who require medical care and ongoing assistance.”
The IDF has not yet responded to The Post's request for comment on the allegations.
Left out here: Leaves out what changes the picture
The article says the families have no assurance about returning but leaves out that Defence Minister Israel Katz publicly set a condition: they would not be allowed back until what he called "Hamas infrastructure" was dismantled.
How we know
- Anadolu Agency (English) reported“saying they would not be allowed to return until what he described as “Hamas infrastructure” in the city was dismantled”More than 2,600 Palestinians displaced as Israeli army continues large-scale offensive in Hebron (opens in a new tab)