UN raises 'ethnic cleansing' concerns over Israel's Hebron operation

The United Nations has warned of ethnic cleansing concerns regarding an Israeli military operation in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron. The operation was launched following an attack on Friday in which two Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint near the city. According to Dawn, the gunmen were killed in a shootout, and Israeli troops entered the Ein Deir Baha neighborhood where the assailants lived, ordering residents to leave.

The Hebron municipality reported that 3,189 people have been forced from their homes due to the ongoing operation. UN human rights chief Volker Turk stated that the "aggressive operation" has resulted in the forcible displacement of thousands, the demolition of homes and commercial property, and the deprivation of free movement. Turk noted that the lockdown is confining many to their homes and neighborhoods, adding that declarations by senior Israeli officials suggest the measures are punitive and designed to instill fear.

While Middle East Eye reported that the operation has forcibly displaced more than 2,000 Palestinians, France 24 and Dawn reported the displacement of more than 3,000. Turk described the steps as an unnecessary and disproportionate use of force and stated that collective punishment is a grave violation of international law.

Brief written by urgent.news from Al-Monitor, Jerusalem Post, France 24, Dawn, Middle East Eye — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.