About 3,300 Palestinians have returned to their homes in Hebron in the occupied West Bank after more than a week of forced displacement, facing a difficult cleanup after withdrawing Israeli forces left destruction behind, Al Jazeera reports.

The Ein Deir Bahha and al-Jalda neighbourhoods endured a punishing 10-day assault after two Israeli soldiers were shot dead in the city on 23 October; two Palestinian suspects were also killed. Hundreds of families were forced out with few belongings and barred from returning until Monday, when Governor Khaled Dodin said soldiers had withdrawn.

Residents found demolitions, vandalism and tampering. Fahd Ahmaro said his family was scattered across four neighbourhoods after being expelled from Khallet al-Maghariba: “We were driven out of our homes (…). We were in an unbearable hell (…) suddenly and without prior notice and without any right.” Some homes were destroyed; others had doors blown off and contents smashed.

Samer Mujahid said soldiers raided his home near the al-Jalda roundabout and gave him 10 minutes to take his children and leave for 18 days. When he asked for more time to pack clothes, a soldier warned: “If I return to you after 10 minutes and you have not left, I will break your legs.”

Hebron residents and civil groups now assess and repair damage; a Support and Relief Committee field team is surveying public and private property. Municipal councillor Muammar al-Awiwi said targeted zones also face power outages and intermittent water.

Source consulted: Palestinians return to ruined Hebron homes after Israel’s 10-day siege — Al Jazeera.

Image: Hebron Old City (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0).

Sources consulted: Palestinians return to ruined Hebron homes after Israel’s 10-day siege — Al Jazeera.