Israel expands West Bank expulsions to cement control over Hebron

Israel has forcibly displaced over 3,000 Palestinians from Hebron in the occupied West Bank during a military operation analysts call a calculated effort to permanently displace the population, with 71 people detained and a citywide lockdown imposed. The displacement, affecting 488 families, includes women, children, and elderly individuals, while Israeli forces have converted homes into military barracks and demolished residential buildings, factories, and roads. The operation follows the killing of two soldiers on Friday and is linked to the "Jenin camp model" previously used in refugee camps. Analysts say the campaign targets infrastructure like water wells to make displacement permanent, with settlers collaborating militarily. The crackdown coincides with Israel's Tuesday general election, with Prime Minister Netanyahu seeking re-election, and follows UN warnings of collective punishment and ethnic cleansing concerns.