35 Hectares Vanish: The Scale of the Hebron Demolition

Israeli military forces have removed the physical infrastructure of the Ein Deir Baha neighborhood in Hebron, a move that local officials say has uprooted hundreds of households. The operation, which flattened residential blocks and marked additional structures for removal, was framed by local authorities as a retaliatory measure for a deadly clash at a nearby checkpoint.

The physical footprint of the destruction is substantial. The city administration calculated that 35 hectares, or roughly 86 acres, within the district were either completely razed or designated for future demolition. By the afternoon of Saturday, the municipality reported that approximately 1,500 residents had been compelled to leave their homes. To control the area, the military established a total blockade of the city, placing security checks at every entry point for the population of 250,000.

Visual evidence circulated by local residents depicts the intensity of the work. Footage shows entire city blocks reduced to debris, with heavy machinery dismantling stone walls on the hillsides. In one striking sequence, soldiers are seen marking Palestinian residences with black crosses. Another video captures a large apartment complex adorned with Israeli flags, which residents identified as the family home of a prominent local lineage and now serving as a temporary command center.

The trigger for this escalation was a violent incident on Friday involving two armed men who attacked a military post on the city's outskirts. After a twenty-minute exchange of fire, two soldiers were killed and three were injured. Both attackers were also killed during the confrontation. The Ein Deir Baha district was identified as the home base for the two gunmen.

Political timing appears central to the military's posture, with national elections scheduled for four days from now. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich traveled to the checkpoint site to pledge a rapid and intense response. Netanyahu stated that the country would move to destroy the specific location. Smotrich, who is campaigning for a smaller coalition party, was filmed wearing body armor while overseeing the demolition of a nearby structure.

Smotrich announced that he had authorized the immediate removal of a row of buildings he described as illegal structures next to the attack site. He further called for a broad military offensive similar to operations conducted in Gaza and Lebanon. The visual of the finance minister in combat gear during the destruction of a home has become a focal point of the political narrative.

The human cost is falling on residents who local leaders say had no part in the initial gunfight. A municipal representative confirmed that around 300 families have been formally evicted. While some have moved in with relatives, the city has converted community halls and children's play areas into temporary shelters. The state news agency Wafa reported that plans are in place to displace an additional 2,500 people in the coming days.

Issa Amro, a civil rights advocate based in Hebron, criticized the scope of the action. He noted that his sister's family was among those displaced. Amro argued that the population is being held accountable for an event they did not commit or back. He expressed concern that the displacement is being used to fuel the election campaign, questioning whether the operations are a strategic plan or a temporary political stunt.

The military was contacted for an official explanation regarding the extent of the destruction and the specific orders given to troops on the ground.