Offensive in the West Bank: Israel's army withdraws

dpa | A good week after the start of the Israeli military operation in the Hebron area, the army is withdrawing from the city in the West Bank, according to the governor. Palestinian security forces are in complete control of the area, Governor Khalid Dudin told reporters. Around 3,300 residents who were displaced by the operation could now safely return to their homes. Their houses were largely destroyed, said Dudin, and announced quick steps towards reconstruction.

A week and a half ago, two attackers from Hebron killed two Israeli soldiers and injured three others. The two suspected Palestinian attackers were also killed. Israel's military then said it began an anti-terror operation, during which the city was sealed off, according to the mayor.

According to the Israeli army, several suspects have been arrested and weapons seized in recent days. Israeli soldiers searched hundreds of houses. There was initially no confirmation from Israel's army about the end of the military operation.

The U.N. emergency relief office Ocha said the operation displaced more than 3,000 people and also destroyed homes and businesses. Most of those affected were staying with relatives. According to the UN, some soldiers also used residential buildings as military posts.

According to Palestinian information, the operation has serious consequences for the economy. Mayor Jussef al-Jabari spoke of daily losses amounting to the equivalent of around 3.5 million euros. Because of the deployment, companies would no longer be able to obtain raw materials or deliver goods and employees would no longer be able to reach their workplaces.

There were also direct consequences for thousands of pupils and students: According to the UN children's fund Unicef, 250,000 of them switched to distance learning in almost 700 educational institutions for safety reasons.