Economic Bleed: West Bank Sieges Cost 10 Million Shekels Daily

Ten million to 12 million shekels. That is the estimated daily economic loss in Hebron during the military siege that lasted until November 2. The blockade sealed all ten entrances to the city, forcing roughly 5,000 residents to leave their homes. Authorities recorded at least 120 arrests and the destruction of 13 commercial establishments during the operation. Hebron generates approximately 40 percent of Palestinian industrial output, making the closure a severe blow to the local economy.

Governor Khaled Dudin confirmed the army's withdrawal on November 2, allowing displaced families to return. Reports indicate that the army chief of staff recommended an earlier exit, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the proposal. The timing of the operation coincided with a period of political tension in Israel following local elections. Arab-led parties won a record 19 seats on a turnout surge to nearly 840,000 voters. Although these results could give Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition bloc 67 seats, coalition talks have stalled due to disagreements over the legitimacy of Palestinian representation.

Netanyahu’s Likud party initially disputed the election results, citing unproven claims of Qatari financing. Police sources later stated there was no evidence of widespread fraud, and election chairman Noam Sohlberg declared the process valid. Despite this, Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman ruled out coalition partners from Palestinian parties. Eisenkot has proposed four conditions for potential allies, including mandatory national service and recognizing Israel as a Jewish, democratic, and liberal state. Palestinian politicians have said they would support an Eisenkot government from the outside if it ends Netanyahu’s tenure.

The siege in Hebron was part of a wider disruption across the West Bank. The Masafer Yatta region saw at least 12 villages cut off from supplies. In Wadi Rakhim, resident Yousef Shanaran described a four-week blockade where settlers poisoned his family’s well. He reported that the family lacked water, food, and essential goods. Such interruptions have become frequent during the olive harvest season as forces and settlers restrict farmer access.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs logged 397 settler attacks in the first 26 days of October. This figure represents a monthly high since records began in 2006. A common pattern involves settlers attacking harvesters, followed by the army designating the area a closed military zone. Activists have also faced legal hurdles, such as the revoked travel authorization for Brad Lander after his detention during an olive pick.

In Gaza, the UN human rights office warned that a shrinking area is creating a dangerous zone as the Yellow Line moves westward. The Ministry of Health reported 1,593 deaths since the previous year’s ceasefire. Sunday marked the deadliest day of the week with at least eight fatalities, including children in Khan Younis and Gaza City. Israeli authorities claimed many were Hamas fighters but provided no specific evidence for these claims.

Humanitarian needs in Gaza are escalating as winter approaches. Two infant girls died in a tent fire in al-Mawasi. The Social Development Ministry states that 200,000 tents are required, yet only dozens have arrived due to entry limits. The Red Crescent warned that the health system is near collapse, with 26 hospitals out of service and fuel shortages affecting the remaining facilities.