Palestinians return to ruined Hebron homes after Israel’s 10-day siege

The Ein Deir Bahha and al-Jalda neighbourhoods underwent a punishing 10-day assault after two Israeli soldiers were shot dead in the city on October 23. Two Palestinian suspects were also killed. Hundreds of Palestinian families were forced out of their homes, able to carry few belongings, and Israeli forces prevented any residents from returning.

On Monday morning, Hebron Governor Khaled Dodin announced that families could finally access their properties after Israeli soldiers withdrew. But residents arrived to find widespread demolitions, vandalism and other forms of tampering across their neighbourhoods. The displacement severely impacted local families, scattering them across different areas.

Fahd Ahmaro and his family were dispersed across four neighbourhoods in Hebron after being expelled from their home in the Khallet al-Maghariba area. “We were driven out of our homes and houses. Words cannot describe what happened,” Ahmaro told Al Jazeera.