The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has strongly condemned the ongoing Israeli military offensive across al-Khalil and other parts of the occupied West Bank, describing the raids, home demolitions and forced displacement as acts of collective punishment targeting Palestinian civilians.
In a statement released on Friday, Hamas said the measures targeting al-Khalil, including the siege, closures of entry and exit points, daily home raids and displacement of Palestinian families, constituted violations of international and humanitarian law.
The movement called on the United Nations, international institutions and human rights organizations to intervene urgently to halt the demolitions and forced displacement.
The statement also denounced the destruction of residential neighborhoods and the intimidation of women, children and elderly residents, calling for international action to protect Palestinian communities and their rights.
The statement came as the occupation forces demolished on Friday homes belonging to families of Palestinians who launched an operation last week in the city and killed two Israeli soldiers.
"We emphasize that the demolition, bulldozing, and vandalism operations carried out by the occupation forces against civilian homes, targeting of residential neighbourhoods and terrorizing of children, women and the elderly will not grant the occupation security or legitimacy," Hamas said.
"Rather, they will only strengthen our people's determination to uphold their national rights and defend their land and holy sites," it added.
The latest developments underscore the mounting humanitarian pressures facing Palestinians in al-Khalil, where military restrictions, property destruction and settler attacks are disrupting civilian life, displacing families and threatening agricultural livelihoods.
International organizations have called for civilian protection and an end to measures that force
Israeli military raids, home demolitions, movement restrictions and escalating settler attacks are intensifying pressure on Palestinian communities across al-Khalil, raising concerns over forced displacement and the erosion of Palestinian presence in the occupied West Bank.
The latest developments include widespread raids on Palestinian homes, the displacement of thousands of residents, and the demolition and vandalism of civilian properties. The situation has also been compounded by settler violence in villages surrounding the city, including an armed attack in Sikka, southwest of al-Khalil.
According to the United Nations, more than 3,000 Palestinians had been forced from their homes by October 27 amid the Israeli military offensive in al-Khalil.
UN human rights chief Volker Türk warned that the operation raised serious concerns over ethnic cleansing, citing demolitions of residential and commercial properties and restrictions on residents' freedom of movement.
The latest Israeli offensive, which began on October 23 following a shooting incident that killed two Israeli soldiers, has involved the closure of city entrances, extensive home raids, arrests and demolitions. Palestinian residents have also reported being forced to leave their homes, with many unable to take their belongings.
Meanwhile, settler violence continues to threaten Palestinian communities in the al-Khail governorate.
On Thursday evening, an Israeli settler opened fire on Palestinian children playing football in the school playground in Sikka village, southwest of al-Khalil, before shooting towards a nearby home.
Waleed Hashish, head of the Sikka village council, said the attack caused panic among children and residents. The settler also deliberately shot three guard dogs near Palestinian homes, killing them.
Hashish warned that villagers face increasingly frequent attacks that threaten their safety and livelihoods. He said the violence had intensified following the seizure of an old Palestinian house east of the village by settlers approximately six months ago and its conversion into an outpost just meters from residents' homes.
The village, home to approximately 1,500 Palestinians, depends largely on agriculture and livestock. Residents face growing restrictions on accessing, cultivating and tending their agricultural land, as settler outposts and land seizures increasingly surround the community.
The developments come amid escalating Israeli military operations, arrests and settler violence across the occupied West Bank, including East al-Quds, since Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023.
During the last three years, Israeli forces and settlers have killed more than 1,210 Palestinians, injuring around 13,350 others in the occupied West Bank.
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