800,000 Palestinians isolated as Israeli forces seal Hebron following fatal base attack

Israeli authorities have imposed a total seal on the West Bank, isolating a population of 800,000 in Hebron after a coordinated assault on a military outpost. The operation follows an incident on Friday in which two Palestinian gunmen attacked an Israeli army reserve base. Both assailants and two Israeli soldiers were killed during the engagement.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a "full lockdown" of the territory in response to the casualty. Under the new restrictions, residents of Hebron are unable to enter or leave the city. Yousef al-Ja'bari, the mayor of Hebron, stated that 2,200 individuals have been forced from their homes since the conflict began. He noted that soldiers issued evacuation orders via loudspeakers late into the night, leaving families with minimal time to gather belongings.

Military operations have extended beyond the city limits. Correspondents documented raids in at least 15 locations across the West Bank on Saturday. These areas include Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah, Al-Bireh, Birzeit, occupied East Jerusalem, and Bethlehem. The Palestinian Prisoners' Society reported that approximately 70 Palestinians were detained during these actions. Israeli forces also demolished homes and vehicles near the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint while journalists observed the operations.

The Palestinian Authority, which administers the West Bank, characterized the military response as collective punishment. Citing Wafa news agency, the PA pointed to home demolitions and the siege of Palestinian cities as evidence of this approach. The authority urged the international community to apply pressure on Israel to secure the safety of residents. In a separate statement, Hamas described the actions as campaigns by the occupation and its settlers that would fuel further outrage.

Issa Amro, a political analyst based in Hebron, described the current conditions for the 200,000 city residents and the 600,000 in the surrounding governorate. He stated that all entrances and exits closed since morning, leaving the population under siege. Amro added that there is no safe place to hide inside the city and that the population lives in fear.

The military escalation occurs three days before Israeli parliamentary elections scheduled for October 27. Nour Odeh, a correspondent for the region, observed that political leaders are attempting to leverage the attack for electoral gain. She noted that Netanyahu and his Likud party are trailing in current polls and are projecting a strong stance against Palestinians to improve their standing. Netanyahu declined to specify if he intends to dismantle the Palestinian Authority, though he stated that a big surprise awaits the organization.