How did Israel Besiege (impose restrictions upon) the City of Hebron after October 7?
Doha Omar
Daily life in the Hebron governorate (الخليل al-Khalīl), has been adversely affected due to the social, political, and economic transformations that occurred after October 7, 2023, in a pattern similar across other Palestinian governorates. The situation on ground has become increasingly precarious and constantly changing, especially with regards to movement, mobility and tightening of restrictions on the largest governorate in the West Bank.
As part of a punitive ‘collective punishment policy’ of intensifying the ongoing restrictions on Palestinians after October 7, 2023, the Israeli occupation authorities launched a widespread campaign of closures and restrictions inside Hebron, covering all main and secondary roads. They barricaded the entrances to cities, towns, and population clusters in the West Bank using iron gates, concrete blocks, and earth mounds; escalating the existing severe, discriminatory movement restrictions.
These measures aim to turn the West Bank into isolated and fragmented areas, allowing occupation forces to impose a total lockdown at any time and with ease, leading to the paralysis of movement and transformation of Palestinian areas into disconnected, dismembered prisons.
As the majority of the occupation’s measures, especially after October 7, 2023, are carried out silently and receive little, if any, media attention/coverage, this report aims to shed light on a series of policies and actions taken by the occupation against the Hebron Governorate, primarily based upon observations and analyses of lived realities, given the absence of official data documenting the ongoing transformations on ground[1].
The Colonial Geography of Hebron
Before delving into the details of this article, it is essential to first examine the political and administrative status of Hebron, the largest governorate in the southern West Bank. According to the 2017 Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Hebron Governorate covers an area of approximately 1,000 km². However, dealing with the Hebron governorate as a single administrative or political unit may not be entirely accurate or reflective of the situation on ground, given the diversity of the local context; the presence of multiple political actors; and the social, economic, and demographic variations within the governorate.
Hebron experiences a unique political and security situation, embodied in what is known as the “Hebron Protocol” or the “Hebron Agreement,” signed on January 15, 1997, which divided the city into two areas:
- Area H1, which constitutes 80% of Hebron’s territory and is under the control of Palestinian Authority.
- Area H2, which makes up 20% of the city and is under the control of Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), including the Old City, the Ibrahimi Mosque, and the surrounding areas. (The Jewish settlers have their own governing municipal body, the Committee of the Jewish Community of Hebron)
Today, more than 700 Israeli settlers live in scattered settlement outposts covering just one square km in the centre of Hebron, under strict security measures that include dozens of military checkpoints, surveillance cameras, watchtowers, and barbed wires; as part of a systematic occupation and settler colonialism policy.
According to the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem, around 35,000 Palestinians lived in the areas that came under Israeli control (including parts outside the Old City) at the time of the signing of the agreement. However, their numbers have not increased due to forced migration and severely imposed restrictions.
In contrast, approximately 115,000 Palestinians resided in the areas handed over to the Palestinian Authority (PA), which are predominantly modern in character. Their population later doubled, reaching about 244,000 residents in Hebron by 2025.
Map Showing the Colonial Geography of Hebron
Source: Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs, 2001.
Closure of the Ibrahimi Mosque: A Systematic Targeting of the Site
The Ibrahimi Mosque was not spared from these repressive measures. After October 7, its repeated closures became more frequent, and the restrictions on its entrances intensified. New electronic gates were installed, and security checks became stricter, with soldiers stationed at the gates deliberately humiliating worshippers and delaying their entry even after prayers had begun, with many worshippers detained for hours, while others forced to return without reaching the mosque they grew up praying and gathering inside.
During Jewish holidays, the mosque compound is completely closed to Palestinians in accordance with the 1997 Hebron Agreement, and the call to prayer is prohibited—even on Fridays. Palestinian worshippers, as well as the mosque’s caretakers and staff, are denied access to the Islamic section of the mosque, in an ongoing attempt to erase the Islamic identity of the place.
Even community initiatives created to support the Ibrahimi Mosque and strengthen the resilience of Old City residents, such as “The Great Dawn” and “Women in the Presence of Ibrahim, Peace Be Upon Him),” have not been spared from sanctions, restrictions and harassment. At every gathering, the occupation forces close the mosque gates and detain worshippers for hours, especially during Fajr prayer and on Fridays.
As part of a systematic policy to suffocate religious life, the call to prayer at the Ibrahimi Mosque was prohibited 704 times in 2023 alone, a blatant violation of freedom of worship and Palestinians’ rights in their city.
The restrictions are not limited to religious aspects alone but extend to attempts to alter the Palestinian and Islamic identity of the Ibrahimi Mosque. Israeli authorities have been implementing gradual changes to the site’s features to impose a settler character upon it. The mosque has undergone repeated modifications, such as the installation of an external elevator to facilitate settler access and the construction of a roof in the mosque’s courtyard—which was later removed following Palestinian pressure and demands, as it was seen as a clear attempt to erase the site’s original identity.
These ongoing modifications reflect a long-term strategy to occupy the Temple Mount and impose a new reality that serves the Israeli settlement project.
Image Showing the Stages of Installing the Electric Elevator to Facilitate Settler Access to the Ibrahimi Mosque
Source: ألترا صوت / https://ultrapal.ultrasawt.com/
Closure upon Closure: A Large Prison in the Heart of Hebron
Since October 7, 2023, Israeli occupation forces have intensified their measures of control in the closed areas of Hebron, increasing the number of checkpoints from 80 to 110, according to human rights activist Imad Abu Shamsiyya. These measures include iron gates, barbed wires, military checkpoints, concrete blocks, and concrete walls, which have been installed across several areas, including; Tel Rumeida, Shuhada Street, Wadi al-Hussein, Wadi al-Gharous, Jaber Neighbourhood, Salaymeh Neighbourhood, Al-Sahla Area, and the vicinity of the Ibrahimi Mosque.
Residents of the aforementioned areas are forced to install barbed wire around their homes and fortify their windows with iron bars, to shield themselves from repeated settler attacks. Concrete walls separate families from one another, while residents face severe obstacles even in exercising their most basic rights, such as renovating their homes. Any renovation requires submitting a request to the Palestinian Civil Liaison Office and waiting for Israeli approval, which is often met with rejection or deliberate delays.
Residents are also prevented from bringing in vehicles to transport construction materials and are forced to use wheelbarrows or donkey-drawn carts instead. Meanwhile, settlers actively sabotage building materials to prevent any attempts to improve living conditions. In addition, garbage and waste are deliberately thrown onto Palestinian homes on a daily basis, further deteriorating their quality of life.
The market in the Old City has witnessed a sharp decline in commercial activity, with most shops closing down due to a lack of customers and the stagnation of domestic and religious tourism. Visits by Palestinians from 1948 territories to the Ibrahimi Mosque and the surrounding markets have ceased, gradually stripping the market of its vibrancy.
As a result, business hours have significantly decreased, and the closure rate of shops now ranges between 70% and 80%, reflecting the severity of the economic crisis the area is experiencing due to repeated lockdowns and disruptions.
Even emergency services are not exempt from restrictions. Ambulances and fire trucks are not allowed to enter the area even in emergency situations, without prior coordination with the Red Cross and the Palestinian Civil Liaison Office—a procedure that can take hours, threatening resident’s lives in the event of fires or critical medical emergencies.
Schoolchildren and university students alike, face significant difficulties in commuting to their educational institutions. School students in the closed areas are often prevented from attending regularly, requiring continuous coordination between the Palestinian Civil Liaison Office and the Hebron Directorate of Education.
After October 7, school schedules remained disrupted for months, requiring extensive arrangements and coordination before stabilizing. This led to a rise in absenteeism, especially in schools located within restricted areas, where the exceptional circumstances further complicate the educational process.
The Systematic Strangulation of Social Life Inside the Sealed Areas
Families living in the restricted areas of Hebron are increasingly suffering from the disruption of social practices, as it has become impossible to hold family gatherings or socialize inside Area H2. Residents are being forced to leave in search of a place where they can better communicate with their relatives and friends, who remain unable to enter these neighbourhoods due to military checkpoints.
With no viable solutions, families face a difficult dilemma: to either leave their homes and endure forced displacement, often relocating to distant areas within Hebron outside the restricted zones, or to remain entrapped within an ‘open-air prison’.
An example of this struggle is the Idris family in the Salaymeh Neighborhood, who refuse to leave their home despite having family members in need of daily medical care.
One of the major challenges in studying and understanding this issue is the lack of official data or statistics, as the situation remains unreported and receives little media attention. As a result, the daily experiences and lived realities of this strategically imposed ‘silent displacement’ remain the only testimony to these ongoing practices.
With the worsening situation, some families have been forced to adopt partial solutions amidst escalated suffering. For example, in some families, elderly parents remain at home, while younger family members are forced to leave and stay with their uncles or relatives outside the sealed areas for their academic or work-related engagements. Meanwhile, many wives and mothers have relocated with their children to safer areas in Hebron to meet their daily and educational needs.
Due to the Israeli-imposed strict schedule for opening and closing the gates within the closed areas, some families have adjusted their daily routines accordingly. However, any delay in returning before the gates close means being locked out overnight, as re-entry is prohibited after the designated time.
Some families have resorted to using ladders to escape through the rooftops of neighbouring houses to reach streets where movement is permitted. This desperate measure follows the Israeli army’s closure of main entrances to homes and the deployment of military posts at their doorsteps—actions that serve no purpose other than to exacerbate the suffering of the residents.
The violations go beyond closures and movement restrictions—they also include physical assaults against Palestinians, especially at checkpoints or during arrests. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 26 Palestinians were arrested last month alone, most of them while passing through military checkpoints—a significant increase compared to previous months.
These arrests often involve prolonged detention inside settlements and military bases, as well as physical assaults that result in injuries. In the past month, at least 8 detainees sustained documented injuries, including severe beatings of both men and women.
Residents report that the attacks intensify after Palestinians attempt to use alternative roads where the occupation forces are not present. However, Israeli forces deploy surveillance drones to monitor their movements, quickly dispatching soldiers to block the roads and attack anyone using them.
The occupation deals with the residents through a ‘dehumanizing’ strategy of assigning numbers; with each citizen living in the area being assigned a specific number in the records of Israeli soldiers. Additionally, the military checkpoints and electronic gates are equipped with high-tech surveillance cameras, including the “Blue Bear” system, which provides comprehensive data on individuals attempting to enter the area.
Furthermore, the smart weapon system installed on the iron gates at the entrance of Al-Shuhada Street is programmed to automatically fire at civilians from a distance.
Photo Credits: Issa Amro, Youth Against Settlements
The Policy of Collective Punishment: Disrupting Daily Life
In Hebron Governorate, the occupation has intensified the suffering of residents by segregating the city with checkpoints and concrete barriers. As a result, the northern entrance to Hebron, which is under the control of Israeli occupation, remains the only gateway connecting the city and hundreds of thousands of residents from nearby towns to the rest of the West Bank.
This ‘strategic strangulation’ has imposed a suffocating isolation upon the residents and further complicated their daily lives. Occupation forces frequently close key main entrance points, including Ras Al-Joura entrance in the north of Hebron, Farsh Al-Hawa entrance in the west, an dAl-Haraiq entrance in the south; in addition to closing the entrances to Dahriya, Samu’, and Dura in the south, as well as entrances to the Al-Fawwar and Al-Arroub refugee camps, and numerous secondary roads. These closures have severely restricted movement, deepening the daily hardships faced by Palestinian residents.
Following any resistance operation, Israeli forces impose a complete lockdown on the entrances and exits of Hebron, as witnessed following the operation by Muhannad Al-Aswad on September 1st, 2024, when Israeli forces completely sealed off the entrance to the town of Idhna as a form of collective punishment.
The entrance, once a vital lifeline for residents of western and southern villages in Hebron Governorate, was transformed into a military outpost, surrounded by concrete walls, barbed wires, and concrete blocks, with an iron gate upon which Israeli flags were hoisted.
Since that date, residents of Idhna have been barred from using their main entrance, forcing them to take long, winding detours. A journey that previously took 10 minutes now stretches into hours.
Conclusion
In light of the escalating situation since October 7th, the Hebron governorate today stands as a living example of Palestinian suffering under occupation, particularly in the restricted areas known as H2. Here, security restrictions overlap with attempts to colonize/occupy the area, making daily life a continuous struggle for survival. Amidst intensifying violations against basic rights of residents, ongoing silent forced displacement, and lack of media attention, settlers seek to seize as many homes as possible, taking advantage of the situation and exploiting the security and political complexities that weigh heavily upon the local population.
Despite these challenges, the will to resist and remain rooted in the land remains stronger than any attempt to impose a new reality. As Palestinians continue their daily struggle with extraordinary steadfastness, resilience and determination, questions about the future of the city and its people under the ongoing occupation and its discriminatory policies remain unanswered; and uncertainty continues amidst speculations.
[1]Findings of this report are further validated through similar findings by other human rights organizations; https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/un-human-rights-office-opt-un-human-rights-office-occupied-palestinian-territory-calls-israel-immediately-lift-discriminatory-movement-restrictions-and-ensure-palestinians-access-basic-services-h2-area-hebron
