Entisaf Organization Condemns the Siege and Forced Displacement in Hebron, Warns of Catastrophic Consequences of Targeting Women and Children

The Entisaf Organization for Women and Child Rights condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the ongoing crimes committed by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people in the city of Hebron, in the occupied West Bank. These actions—including the imposition of a military siege, the closure of entry and exit points, the forced displacement of residents, the demolition of homes, and the destruction of property—constitute a flagrant violation of human rights and international humanitarian law, and represent a continuation of policies of collective punishment and the systematic restriction of Palestinian civilians.

The organization emphasizes that the ongoing siege—now in its eighth consecutive day—and the coercion of hundreds of families to leave their homes, reveal the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe facing the population. According to data from the Hebron Municipality, 537 Palestinian families, comprising 3,361 individuals, have been displaced from their homes in the Al-Jalda and Ein Deir Bahah areas. In total, the number of Palestinians affected, displaced, or trapped by the siege has reached 4,969 people, belonging to 780 families. Documented data indicates that among those displaced are 1,193 children aged between 2 and 17, 232 infants, 147 pregnant or nursing women, 326 elderly individuals, 213 people with chronic illnesses, and 32 individuals with disabilities. This highlights the extent to which the most vulnerable groups—those most in need of protection and care—have been targeted, placing the lives of women, children, the sick, and the elderly at severe humanitarian and health-related risk.

Furthermore, the siege has affected 2,872 students—2,198 of whom are directly trapped within the besieged area, while 674 have been unable to reach their schools due to displacement. This is in addition to daily economic losses estimated at 10 to 12 million shekels. Meanwhile, raids, searches, acts of sabotage, and arrests—which have impacted more than 115 Palestinians—continue, alongside the ongoing closure of residential neighborhoods and the prevention of families from returning to their homes. The organization considers the forced displacement of the Palestinian population, the demolition and seizure of their homes, and their deprivation of shelter, security, and basic services to be a grave violation of the rules of international humanitarian law—most notably the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, which prohibits the forcible transfer of, and collective punishment against, civilian populations in occupied territories. Furthermore, the targeting and destruction of civilian property in the absence of military necessity constitute a serious violation that warrants investigation and accountability, and may, depending on the circumstances of each case, amount to war crimes.

Intisaf Organization holds the Israeli occupation legally and humanely responsible for the safety of Palestinian civilians, as well as for the displacement, terror, and deprivation of the most basic necessities of life to which they are subjected. It emphasizes that women and children are not legitimate targets of military operations, and that denying them shelter, education, healthcare, and security represents a grave assault on their fundamental rights and human dignity.

The organization calls upon the United Nations, the Security Council, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and various international, human rights, and humanitarian organizations to fulfill their legal and moral responsibilities. It urges them to take immediate action to end the blockade, forced displacement, and home demolitions; to ensure the safe return of Palestinian families to their homes; to provide international protection for civilians; to guarantee the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, medical services, and education; and to initiate an independent international investigation into the crimes and violations committed, ensuring that those responsible are held accountable and do not escape impunity. The organization emphasizes that continued international silence and the failure to take deterrent action against these violations encourage the persistence of a policy of uprooting and displacement directed at the Palestinian people. It further asserts that this undermines the framework of international law and human rights, affirming that the rights of Palestinians to their land, homes, security, and dignity are inherent—rights that are not forfeited through blockade, demolition, or displacement. Moreover, the protection of women, children, and civilians is an international responsibility that brooks no delay or compromise.