Palestinian residents of Hebron said that recent clashes between rival clans prompted the IDF's large-scale military operation in the southern parts of the city.
Dozens have been injured in fighting between Palestinian families, specifically in the Jabal Johar neighborhood and surrounding areas in southern Hebron over the past several months. Clashes have occurred nearly every day, with gunmen using live ammunition and setting fire to several houses and businesses.
The latest escalation was triggered by last month's killing of Mohammed Najib Rajabi, a young man from Hebron who was fatally shot during an exchange of gunfire between armed men. Since then, violent attacks and shootings, mainly between two rival sides within the Rajabi family, have intensified, raising concerns over the safety of Jewish families in the heart of Hebron and nearby Kiryat Arba settlement.
Sources in the city told The Jerusalem Post that repeated attempts by the Palestinian Authority and clan leaders to end the growing violence have failed.
Ahmed, a Hebron resident, said he and other Palestinians have long hoped that someone would interfere to put an end to the violence and confiscate illegal weapons. "This area has become an extraterritorial zone," he told the Post. "There is no enforcement of law and order here."
"The neighborhood is full of criminal activity. There are lots of weapons and drug dealers. Gunmen do whatever they want. They steal cars and intimidate people. Of course, no one likes to see the Israeli army here, but this is necessary to restore law and order," he said.
A leaflet distributed by Israeli security forces in the city shortly after Monday's pre-dawn operation said troops were targeting "terrorists and armed gangs endangering the lives of the residents and undermining security in the area." The IDF's ongoing operation came in the aftermath of "arbitrary shootings, violent acts, and weapons trafficking," the leaflet stated.
The IDF said the operation, which began early Monday morning, "aims to thwart terror infrastructures, seize illegal weapons, and enhance security in the area." The operation is expected to last a few days, the IDF added.
Residents said that IDF troops sealed off the area, blocked roads, and rounded up several suspects for interrogation. Army officers, the residents said, summoned clan leaders for a meeting during which they urged them to assist the authorities in their crackdown on gunmen and gangsters.
"The situation in southern Hebron has become intolerable," said another resident. "There are too many weapons here, and people don’t hesitate to use them in local disputes. Our children are afraid to sleep at night because of the gunfire."
He nonetheless doubted that the current Israeli operation would offer a long-term solution. "There are thousands of firearms here, and I don’t think the Israeli forces will be able to lay their hands on all of them," he told the Post.
Palestinian Authority not authorized to operate in Israeli-controlled area
The PA is not authorized to operate in this part of the city without coordination with Israel. Under the terms of the 1997 Hebron Accords between Israel and the Palestinians, the city was divided into Palestinian-controlled Area H-1 (80%) and Israeli-controlled Area H-2 (20%).
The Rajabi clan issued a statement dismissing allegations that it bears responsibility for the IDF crackdown. "Anyone who claims that we are responsible for what's happening is - either intentionally or out of ignorance – justifying the occupation aggression and providing a moral cover for its narrative," the clan charged.
"The occupation never needs an excuse. It exploits any internal issue to falsely turn it into a security issue."
PA Governor of Hebron, Khaled Dudin, meanwhile, criticized the Israeli operation and claimed it was "politically motivated."
"We fear this raid aims to create new facts on the ground by expanding the Jewish settlement in the city and expelling its residents," he told reporters.