West Bank's Hebron governor announces Israeli forces' withdrawal from city

Hebron Governor Khaled Dudin announced Monday the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the entire city of Hebron in the southern occupied West Bank. “Palestinian security forces have taken full control of the area following the Israeli withdrawal,” Dudin said. He added that families who had been forced to leave their homes could now return. “Relevant authorities and Palestinian security forces are monitoring developments on the ground and working to provide the necessary conditions for residents to return safely,” the governor said.

The Israeli army launched the operation in Hebron on Oct. 23 following a shooting attack by two Palestinians that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others. Israeli forces later killed the two attackers. During the 10-day operation, Israeli forces imposed closures on the city and surrounding villages, seized Palestinian homes in the Al-Jalda and Ein Deir Baha areas and converted them into military posts. The operation also involved forced displacement, demolitions of homes, other structures and commercial properties, and damage to infrastructure.

More than 3,300 Palestinians were displaced or otherwise affected, particularly in Al-Jalda and Ein Deir Baha, while 15 homes and other structures were demolished, according to the Hebron Governorate. The governorate said the operation also caused damage to the local economy and infrastructure and disrupted education.