The Israeli army withdrew on Monday from a neighbourhood in occupied West Bank Hebron, ending an operation launched after two soldiers were killed in late October. Thousands of displaced Palestinians have begun returning to homes — many damaged or ransacked, France 24 / AFP report.

“This morning, following the completion of all operational activities, the soldiers withdrew from the area of operation in Hebron. Counterterrorism activities throughout Judea and Samaria continue,” a military official said, using the biblical name for the territory.

On 23 October, days before elections, two Palestinian gunmen attacked a checkpoint near Hebron, killing two soldiers; Netanyahu and other officials promised a major response. By the next morning the military had cleared the assailants’ neighbourhood — more than 3,000 people, the municipality said.

Soldiers searched sites, detained suspects and seized four weapons, vests and gear; the attackers’ homes were demolished and an underground space sealed. One resident found his apartment trashed: furniture strewn, a child’s bicycle broken.

Image: Hebron old city (Wikimedia Commons, GFDL).

Sources consulted: Israeli army withdraws from Hebron after operation displaces thousands of Palestinians - France 24.