12 Detained as Israel Demolishes Hebron Homes of Attack Suspects

Israeli forces demolished the homes of two Palestinian brothers blamed for killing two soldiers in Hebron, detaining at least 12 people who approached the site afterward, Al Jazeera reported Friday, the eighth day of a military offensive on the southern West Bank city.

Troops sealed off the homes of Ahmad and Hammouda al-Jaabeh on Friday morning, and army engineers spent at least nine hours inside rigging explosives before the detonation, according to Al Jazeera correspondent Mohammed al-Atrash, reporting from Hebron. The brothers were killed October 23 after an attack near the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others, the outlet reported.

Why Were the Homes Demolished?

Israeli authorities tied the demolitions directly to the October 23 checkpoint attack, carried out by the al-Jaabeh brothers at Hebron's western entrance. Al-Atrash said Israeli officials have also threatened to speed up demolitions across Area C — the part of the West Bank under full Israeli control — under measures approved by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich after the attack.

How Many Palestinians Have Been Detained?

When residents tried to approach the demolition site, Al Jazeera reported that large numbers of troops backed by drones moved in and detained at least 12 Palestinians, some of whom remained in custody as of Friday. Al-Atrash said Israeli forces have arrested at least 120 Palestinians and interrogated hundreds more since the offensive began eight days earlier.

"It is effectively collective punishment, with the aim of breaking the Palestinians," Raed Nairat, an academic and expert on Israeli affairs, told Al Jazeera from Nablus.

How Many Residents Have Been Displaced?

The Hebron municipality said Tuesday that 4,969 Palestinians from 780 families had been displaced by the offensive, Al Jazeera reported. Al-Atrash said Israeli forces have fully emptied the Ein Deir Bahha neighborhood, with some homes there converted into military barracks and command centers. Families in the neighboring al-Jalda area remain confined to their homes, unable to leave.

What Happened Near the Demolition Site?

Al-Atrash said at least 13 businesses near the checkpoint have also been demolished since the operation started. On Friday, displaced residents — including women, children and older people — protested near the closed al-Jalda roundabout, demanding an end to the siege and the right to return home, according to Al Jazeera.

What's Next in the West Bank Offensive?

• Whether Israeli forces expand demolitions in Area C under the measures Smotrich approved after the October 23 attack.
• The status of the at least 12 Palestinians detained near the demolition site, some still held as of Friday.
• Whether displaced families from Ein Deir Bahha and al-Jalda are permitted to return as the siege continues into its ninth day.
• Any update to the municipality's count of 4,969 displaced residents from 780 families.

The operation has run for eight days as of the demolitions, with no timeline announced by Israeli authorities for lifting the siege, according to Al Jazeera's reporting.