In brief
Hebron’s governor Khaled Dudin announced on Monday that Israeli forces had withdrawn following a 10‑day siege that began after a shooting incident in late October. The withdrawal, corroborated by a local Turkish news outlet, has opened the city to returning residents, reopened schools and university campuses, and transferred control of the area to Palestinian security forces. While an Indian news agency acknowledged the withdrawal, it provided no further detail on the siege or its aftermath.
Hebron’s governor Khaled Dudin said Israeli forces withdrew from the city after a 10‑day siege, allowing displaced families to return and schools to reopen, on Monday, November 2, 2026, Al Jazeera reports. The announcement came in the early hours, with the mayor noting the municipality was formally informed at 6 a.m. local time (04:00 GMT).
The siege began on October 23, following a shooting attack by two Palestinians that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others; the Israeli army later killed the attackers. During the operation, Israeli forces imposed a full blockade, converting homes into military posts and seizing dozens of houses.
According to Al Jazeera’s Mohamed al‑Atrash, the blockade displaced more than 537 families and forced 317 shops to close. Civil‑defence teams warned that the walls of one post‑attack home were on the verge of collapse, and the soldiers had reportedly wrecked interiors of homes used as military posts, taking money and personal belongings.
Palestinian security forces now hold full control of the area. “Relevant authorities and Palestinian security forces are monitoring developments on the ground and working to provide the necessary conditions for residents to return safely,” Dudin said.
Hebron Mayor Youssef al‑Jaabari told Al Jazeera that the municipality had been officially notified of the withdrawal. “For the first time in 10 days, schoolchildren are going to their schools; university students are now on their way to their universities,” he said. Five universities, closed during the siege, are now reopening.
Al Jazeera reported that the Israeli military destroyed the homes of the two attackers during its operation. While the Israeli army’s actions remain unverified by other outlets, an Indian news agency confirmed the withdrawal but offered no additional details on the siege’s conduct or impact.
