OMM Newsroom
The Israeli army continued its siege of Hebron in the southern occupied West Bank for a second consecutive day on Saturday, forcing dozens of Palestinians from their homes, Palestinian media reported, according to Anadolu Agency.
Residents forced from homes in Hebron
Israeli forces raided the al-Jilda and Deir Bahha areas in central Hebron and placed them under a complete siege, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
In the early morning, dozens of residents were made to leave their homes and stand outdoors, Wafa said.
The operation involved additional military vehicles and bulldozers, the closure of main entrances and roads leading to Hebron, and the city's isolation from surrounding areas, the agency reported.
Israeli forces also raided and searched homes, detained dozens of residents and questioned them in the field before releasing them on Saturday morning, Wafa said.
19 Palestinians detained in West Bank raids
Separately, Israeli forces detained 19 Palestinians in raids across the occupied West Bank. The arrests included two Palestinians from the Hindaza area and al-Azza refugee camp in Bethlehem governorate, 16 from Nablus governorate and a young man from Aqabat Jabr refugee camp in Jericho.
The occupied West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, has seen an escalation in Israeli military attacks and violence by occupiers since Israel launched its war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023.
The attacks have included killings and arrests of Palestinians, demolitions of homes and other structures, the burning of mosques and vehicles, and the leveling of agricultural land. They have also involved restrictions on farmers' access to their fields, the displacement of Palestinian communities and settlement expansion.
On Friday, the Israeli army claimed that two Palestinians were killed in a shootout with Israeli forces. It alleged that they had opened fire at Israeli settlers in Hebron, wounding five people.
Following the reported shooting, the Israeli army announced a complete closure of Hebron and several surrounding towns on Friday.
