Hebron: The Israeli army on Wednesday evening imposed a curfew on several Palestinian neighborhoods in central Hebron in the occupied West Bank, sealing off their entrances due to the Jewish holiday of Passover.

According to Anadolu Agency, human rights activist Aref Jaber reported that the army informed residents of the Jaber, Salaymeh, and Wadi al-Hussein neighborhoods-areas under Israeli control-that the curfew would begin at 04:00 pm local time (1300GMT). The duration of the closure remains unspecified, but historically, it aligns with the start of the holiday, which begins at sunset on Wednesday and lasts for a week.

Jaber noted that the curfew impacts approximately 500 Palestinian families, totaling more than 2,500 individuals. The curfew comes amidst a significant military presence on the streets, with restrictions preventing residents from moving freely, entering, or leaving their homes.

The 1997 Hebron Protocol, an agreement between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, divided the city into two areas: H1, under Palestinian control, and H2, under Israeli control. The latter comprises about 20% of the city, including the Old City and the Ibrahimi Mosque, as well as the neighborhoods affected by the curfew.

Palestinian estimates indicate that more than 800 Israeli settlers reside in settlements within the Israeli-controlled area.