Palestine weekly: West Bank under siege as Israelis go to the polls
Israel sealed the West Bank and tightened restrictions on Gaza as its election campaign concluded following a deadly attack in Hebron that killed two soldiers.
The West Bank city of Hebron has been in a state of lockdown since two Palestinian gunmen opened fire at an army checkpoint on Friday, killing two Israeli soldiers and wounding three. Following the suspects' deaths, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the isolation of Hebron, declaring troops would go house to house in the gunmen's neighborhood. "We will act to destroy this place, to change it completely," he proclaimed.
Thousands of Palestinians have been displaced from their homes in the al-Jalda and Ein Deir Baha neighborhoods. By Monday, at least 3,171 Palestinians from 488 families had been forced out, according to Hebron Municipality data. Israeli forces have searched over 500 homes, arrested more than 70 people, and fragmented the city with 128 closed gates and 120 checkpoints.
People would not be allowed back until we've finished dealing with all the Hamas issues in Hebron.
Mass Displacement
The displaced include 127 infants, 81 pregnant women and 26 people with disabilities, according to the Palestinian Prisoner's Society. Israeli bulldozers razed a three-apartment building and several businesses in Farsh al-Hawa, with Israel's Channel 12 reporting Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich ordered the demolitions.
Human rights organization B'Tselem warned the operation amounts to "collective punishment and acts that could constitute war crimes." The situation in Hebron mirrors last year's military expulsions of three refugee camps and widespread destruction reminiscent of Gaza.
Multiple Sieges
Beyond Hebron, multiple sieges are affecting Palestinian communities at different scales. In Wadi al-Rakheem, the family of Yusuf Shanaran has been under siege by Israeli settlers for three weeks, unable to leave or receive aid without army coordination. In Umm Safa, a family home has been besieged for nearly a month after receiving a demolition order.
Madama village, south of Nablus, emerged from a two-week siege of its four entrances, though heavy restrictions remain. Twelve Masafer Yatta communities were cut off for several days, affecting about 50 teachers unable to reach schools. The Israeli army also barred Palestinian workers from settlements and will close all crossings on election day.
Olive Harvest Attacks
This year's olive harvest has seen unprecedented levels of settler attacks. The Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission counted 482 attacks by Sunday across nine governorates. These include theft of olives and equipment in at least a dozen villages, assaults in 15 places, detentions of farmers, and damage to olive trees.
Settlers burned dozens of trees in Burqa, uprooted hundreds in Madama, and destroyed equipment near Immatin. In Burqa, arsonists targeted a memorial to Palestinian residents and the home of a Palestinian-American. Even international solidarity volunteers were targeted, with US congressional candidate Brad Lander detained near Nahalin.
Settlers told farmers they would never harvest 'with or without coordination.'
Gaza Under Pressure
In Gaza, at least 37 more Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks this week. Among the dead were Akram Yassin and his wife in a strike on their apartment behind al-Shifa Hospital, and several children including Majdi Mohammad Fakhri Hassan and Rafif Raed Lubad. The death toll since October 2025 has reached 1,559 killed and 5,608 wounded.
Food shortages worsened as crossings into Gaza shut down, with flour stocks running out and only seven of 20 commercial bakeries remaining open. A tray of eggs reached 60 shekels ($19.50). The pressure eased slightly on October 23 when Israel allowed commercial goods to resume and an Egyptian committee delivered flour.
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