Displaced in Hebron: Picking up pieces after Israeli siege

What the report says

Residents of Hebron’s al-Jalada neighbourhood in the occupied West Bank are beginning to return home after an Israeli military operation that lasted about 10 days, according to Al Jazeera. The operation began after Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers near Hebron, and Israeli forces ordered families to leave with little notice. Al Jazeera reported that some households had only minutes to gather essentials before evacuating, leaving most belongings behind.

Among those returning was Nour al-Natsha, an orthopaedic surgeon whose family came back after hearing that the military had withdrawn. He found the house in disarray, with doors left open and belongings missing. The family spent the first hours checking for hazards, cleaning, and trying to make the home usable again. The return was also emotionally difficult for his young daughter, who kept asking about a pet bird left behind during the evacuation.

The report says the wider operation affected several neighbourhoods in Hebron, with shops and institutions closed and hundreds of families displaced. Figures cited by the Hebron Governorate’s Support and Relief Committee put the number at 537 families, or about 3,300 people. While damage to homes is extensive, residents interviewed by Al Jazeera said the chance to come back mattered most because it restored a measure of stability after days of uncertainty.