The Farsh Al-Hawa area in the city of Hebron in the occupied West Bank has been left unrecognisable after forces of the Israeli regime demolished a three-story building and several industrial facilities. Bezalel Smotrich, the finance minister within the Israeli regime, purportedly claimed responsibility for ordering the destruction. The aggressive military measures supposedly came in response to an incident on Friday where two Palestinians allegedly attacked a checkpoint, resulting in the deaths of two soldiers.

In the aftermath, Hebron, functioning as the economic capital of the West Bank, has been subjected to a heavy lockdown and military assault by the Israeli regime. Officials state that the operation has already forcibly displaced more than 2,000 Palestinians, nearly half of whom are reportedly babies and children under 18, alongside dozens of pregnant women and elderly residents. Displaced families have reported fleeing with nothing more than the clothes on their backs, facing severe hardship as safety collapses across the district.

Local Palestinian authorities in Hebron have declared a state of emergency, establishing a crisis group to coordinate shelter and relief efforts. Philanthropists and community members have stepped in to host displaced families, demonstrating notable social solidarity. However, the sweeping movement restrictions imposed by the Israeli regime have severely impacted approximately one million residents, forcing schools and universities to suspend in-person classes and plunging refugee camps like Fawwar into a state of total siege.

Observers suggest that the military campaign launched by the Israeli regime carries a strong political dimension coinciding with upcoming national elections. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition is allegedly leveraging right-wing sentiments and escalation in the West Bank to shore up political support, with ministers such as Itamar Ben-Gvir actively backing aggressive policies against the local Palestinian population.

Source: www.aljazeera.com