Hebron siege enters 10th day amid threat of wider Israeli offensive

Israeli forces are maintaining a siege on Hebron in the occupied West Bank for a 10th consecutive day, after an attack on 23 October in which two Israeli soldiers were killed. The lockdown has disrupted movement across the city and surrounding areas, with local officials saying families have been forced from their homes and businesses have been shut. Palestinian residents and municipal leaders say the operation could be expanded further, raising concern about a wider offensive.

Hebron mayor Yousef al-Jabari said daily economic losses were estimated at more than 12 million shekels, or about $3.8 million. He said the damage included more than $1.9 million in infrastructure losses and about $160,000 in losses in the health and environmental sectors. According to the municipality, Israeli forces have demolished 15 homes and other structures and forced 327 businesses to close.

The mayor also said about 80,000 students have been unable to attend school for 10 days. Local officials say more than 3,300 Palestinians have been displaced or otherwise affected by the siege. The mayor described the measures as collective punishment, while families in and around Hebron said they fear the army may soon extend its operations.

Israeli arrests of Palestinians in Hebron and other West Bank cities have continued during the same period, adding to the sense of disruption. The situation has also affected nearby areas, including Masafer Yatta south of Hebron, where 10 Palestinian teachers were arrested and their vehicle seized, according to Palestinian reports. The siege matters because Hebron is one of the largest and most economically important Palestinian cities in the West Bank.

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The mayor said the city accounts for about 40 percent of the Palestinian economy, meaning prolonged restrictions can have effects well beyond the immediate security operation. The closures, demolitions and school disruptions also deepen pressure on civilian life at a time when tensions across the occupied West Bank remain high. The incident comes against a backdrop of repeated raids, arrests and settler violence reported in the territory.

The wider context includes a sharp rise in violence and property damage across the West Bank. The United Nations humanitarian office said settlers carried out 397 attacks on Palestinians across the territory in October, the highest monthly figure recorded since monitoring began in 2006. Between 20 and 26 October, attacks targeted 49 Palestinian communities, mostly while people were harvesting olives, and 57 Palestinians were injured in incidents involving settlers and Israeli forces.

Those figures underline how the Hebron siege fits into a broader pattern of escalating insecurity and economic strain. What remains unclear is how long the lockdown will continue and whether Israeli forces will broaden the operation beyond Hebron. It is also not clear whether the reported arrests, demolitions and closures will increase in the coming days.

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