Hebron operation displaces Palestinians and disrupts businesses after checkpoint attack

Israeli forces carried out evacuations, demolitions and closures in Hebron after two Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint. The military said it was searching for militants and weapons; residents and Palestinian officials challenged the scope of the operation. Supplied reports give differing displacement totals, from around 1,200 to more than 3,000.

• Two Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint near Hebron on Friday. The Israeli military said both gunmen were shot dead, and Benjamin Netanyahu announced a large-scale operation.· 1 source
• Displacement estimates differ across the reports: around 1,200, nearly 2,000, more than 2,600 and more than 3,000. These figures should not be treated as a single confirmed total.· 4 sources
• The military said its operation in Al-Jaladah and Ein Deir Baha sought militants and weapons and would include demolitions. Residents described being ordered out of their homes, disputing the military’s account that departures were voluntary.· 2 sources
• Factories and commercial premises in Farsh al-Hawa were demolished, while closures prevented workers and goods from reaching businesses. Hebron’s chamber of commerce said a full assessment of losses was still being compiled.· 1 source
• The operation unfolded ahead of Tuesday’s parliamentary election, with Hebron’s municipal leader alleging electoral motives. The army declined to say how long the operation would last.· 2 sources