Hebron mayor orders emergency shelter for 2,200 residents after city seals

Yousef Jaabari, the mayor of Hebron, declared a state of emergency on Saturday evening after Israeli forces sealed the city and forced approximately 2,200 residents from their homes. The municipality has taken control of shelter arrangements for the displaced population.

The affected area spans about 330 dunams and contains more than 490 housing units in the neighborhoods of Deir Bahala, al-Jalda, and surrounding districts. The Palestinian Information Centre reported that at least 40 Palestinians were detained on Saturday evening. Soldiers also demolished residential buildings and local businesses during the crackdown.

Residents described the speed of the eviction. Families received only five minutes to leave their homes. Social media videos captured Palestinian truck drivers coordinating to transport goods and supplies out of factories before the structures were torn down.

The actions followed a shooting incident early Friday morning near the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint west of Hebron. Two suspected Palestinians fired on Israeli troops at the site. Two soldiers died and three others sustained injuries in the attack.

Jaabari characterized the military response as collective punishment. He noted that the displacement included elderly people, women, and children. The mayor questioned the timing of the measures, accusing far-right members of the Israeli government of using the city for election publicity. "We are now monitoring every detail and have declared a state of emergency to meet their needs," he said.

Israeli forces also shut down the Ibrahimi Mosque, a site recognized by Unesco as an endangered World Heritage Site. The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs stated that forces removed staff and custodians from the building. Jaabari confirmed that no prayers are being held and that the call to prayer has been banned.

The municipality has established a crisis hotline to assist residents during the ongoing evictions. The mosque, which Palestinians have administered for more than 1,400 years, has faced increased restrictions in recent months, including limits on Muslim worshippers and settler incursions.