RAMALLAH, Palestine

The Israeli army imposed a curfew Wednesday, effective until Sunday, in several Palestinian neighborhoods in central Hebron in the southern West Bank, ahead of Jewish holidays.

“The occupation army closed several neighborhoods at 6 p.m. (1500GMT) and announced the curfew,” Arif Jaber, a member of the Hebron Defense Committee (NGO), told Anadolu. “The army prevented people from walking in the streets and forced them to close their shops. Only those returning from work were allowed to reach their homes, but they were not allowed to leave.”

“They informed us that the curfew and area closure would last until next Sunday due to the Jewish holidays.”

Jaber said the “occupation soldiers have escalated their assaults on locals in recent days. They raided homes and neighborhoods, detained citizens, assaulted them, and searched or confiscated their phones.”

Palestinian neighborhoods in the heart of Hebron have been under siege since the devastating war on the Gaza Strip began Oct. 7, 2023. The constraints have included frequent curfews and travel restrictions.

Israel began celebrating Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, on Wednesday evening, with an increase in illegal settler activity in Hebron and at the Ibrahimi Mosque.

Since 1994, Israel has divided the mosque, allocating 63% to Jewish worshipers and 37% to Muslims, following a massacre by an illegal settler that killed 29 Palestinian worshipers.​​​​​​​

Israel celebrates Rosh Hashanah, the start of Hebrew year 5785, from Wednesday through Thursday and Friday, kicking off the “10 Days of Repentance,” which culminate with Yom Kippur, according to Israel’s official broadcast authority.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio