Israel-Hamas war: Ordinary life suspended in West Bank as Israeli military imposes ‘lockdown’ and families flee | Stuart Ramsay
The sounds of hammering, the deafeningly loud noise of a generator, and the continuous movement of people carrying doors, electrical cables, recovered bricks and even roofs to trucks and trailers.
This was all one needed to know that a family home on the West Bank was being dismantled.
Men shouted instructions to each other, overseen by the matriarchal figure of Sahar El Tell.
Her family have lived here for over 100 years – and this is their last day in their home, on their land.
Israel-Hamas war latest: IDF pushes into Gaza City
For three years they have been harassed and intimidated by a settler family who want them to leave – and they have resisted – but since the Hamas attacks on 7 October, the threats have increased.
Sahar El Tell and her family are leaving the home their family has lived in for over a century
The El Tell family have decided enough is enough.
“They attack us night and day, they beat the women and children who live here, cut the water pipes and electricity cables, they destroyed our neighbour’s car, and sent a drone to intimidate the children and our goats,” Sahar told me.
“They watch us with a drone, the drone was here this morning over our heads, so they can send a message they are watching us.”
They say it all came to a head when the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) issued them with a warning to leave in seven days or “we will destroy your houses on top of your heads”.
It’s not just Sahar and her family leaving.
Men loading a tractor trailer in Zanota
Men packing to leave Zanota
The entire population of the West Bank village of Zanota is moving, even though this land is legally theirs by international law.
Everything they can salvage gets put into trucks and trailers for the journey to a new, equally desolate, place in the Hebron Hills.
Yazan revealed his sadness at having to leave the home his father, grandfather and great-grandfather lived in all their lives
When I meet 17-year-old Yazan he is pulling electrical cables out of a wall and prepping the cables to take to their new home – he isn’t sure where yet.
Yazan told me he was feeling sad, upset, and simply at a loss about leaving the home his father, his grandfather, and great-grandfather lived in all their lives.
But staying is no longer an option.
An empty house with no roof in Zanota
“The settlers have limited our movements, they scared our goats with a drone, they threatened us, and they came at night, shouted at us, and smashed our neighbour’s car – our neighbour has also left,” he told me.
They’re too afraid to stay.
In much of the West Bank, since the war in Gaza started, the military has closed roads to Palestinian towns and villages and aren’t allowing the movement of cars into those towns. The people who live inside have to walk out and catch cabs instead.
The West Bank as a whole is in a sort-of lockdown imposed by the IDF.
I drove through much of this land, designated as occupied by the international community, and was amazed at just how much control the Israeli military now has here.
Israeli soldiers monitor a checkpoint
Ordinary life has been suspended – a suspension overseen by Israeli soldiers patrolling in armoured vehicles, searching cars at checkpoints, monitoring all movement from fortified watchtowers and locking shut huge yellow barriers to Palestinian towns; or dumping great mounds of earth to block roads.
It’s quiet, it’s eery, it’s intimidating and scary – and that’s exactly how it’s designed to be.
As we filmed in front of one of the closed entrances to Hebron, a woman got out of her car to talk to us. She wanted to know where we were from, and what we were doing here.
British-born Israeli Mayzie Avihail also wanted to tell me that Jews have a historical right to live in Hebron, whether it’s legal or not.
British-born Israeli Mayzie Avihail told Stuart Ramsay that Jews have a historical right to live in Hebron
“This is the oldest place in the world that is Jewish, and has been Jewish for 4,800 years, who can tell, can you tell me who you are descended from?” she said to me.
“We are Jews, we’re a tribe, we’re a family, we’re the only ones who can tell you where we are descended from.”
The IDF says it has imposed new restrictions on the West Bank because of increased security concerns.
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But this whole turn of events isn’t just about movement of people and control of security.
What we have seen evidence of is a sudden upsurge in activity by Israeli settlers on the West Bank.
With so much else going on, in effect they’re gambling that the normal limitations on their instinct to take over as much Palestinian land as possible, have been forgotten for the time being – so they’re acting fast.
Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro has been sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison for attempting a coup to stay in power after his 2022 election defeat.
The far-right politician, who ruled Brazil between 2019 and 2022, is currently under house arrest in the capital, Brasilia.
A panel of five Supreme Court justices handed down the sentence several hours after they found the 70-year-old guilty on five counts.
The counts were trying to stage a coup, being part of an armed criminal organisation, attempting violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, being implicated in violence, and posing a serious threat to the state’s assets and listed heritage.
Bolsonaro‘s lawyers have said they will appeal the verdict.
Pic: AP
The ruling will deepen political divisions in Brazil and is also likely to prompt a backlash from the United States government – with Donald Trump already sharing his thoughts on the vote.
President Trump, an ally of Bolsonaro, has said he was surprised and “very unhappy” with the decision.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House, he said he always found Bolsonaro “outstanding” and said the conviction is “very bad for Brazil”.
Mr Trump previously called the case a “witch hunt”, slapped Brazil with tariff hikes, and revoked US visas for most members of Brazil’s high court.
Bolsonaro is the first former Brazilian president to be convicted of attempting a coup.
He has not attended the court proceedings, and on Thursday, he was seen at the garage of his property, but did not talk to the media.
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Justice Carmen Lucia. Pic: AP
Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who has been overseeing the case, said on Tuesday that Bolsonaro was the leader of a coup plot and of a criminal organisation, and voted in favour of convicting him. Justices Flavio Dino, Carmen Lucia, and Cristiano Zanin sided with Justice Moraes in the trial.
On Wednesday, another justice, Luiz Fux, disagreed and voted to acquit the ex-president of all charges.
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Justice Lucia said she was convinced by the evidence the attorney general’s office put forward against Bolsonaro, saying: “He is the instigator, the leader of an organisation that orchestrated every possible move to maintain or seize power.”
Bolsonaro had been previously banned from running for office until 2030 in a different case.
He is expected to choose an heir who is likely to challenge President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva next year.
The FBI and officials have released new video and images of a “person of interest” in connection with the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, as the manhunt continues.
At a news conference on Friday, Utah Governor Spencer Cox showed video footage showing the suspect walking on the roof of the building from where the fatal shot was fired. He is then seen climbing down and heading toward a wooded area, where police say he abandoned his rifle.
Additional images released by police show the suspect wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a backpack.
Investigators have conducted nearly 200 interviews related to the case as 20 law enforcement partners are working on the investigation, Governor Cox said.
Prosecutors will seek the death penalty against the attacker, he said.
Follow the latest updates on Charlie Kirk’s killing
Authorities have released additional images of the attacker. Pic: Utah Public Safety
Earlier, authorities said the shooter was thought to have jumped off a roof and fled into a neighbourhood after firing one shot.
They also said the suspect was a male who “appears to be of college age” and blended in on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem, where Mr Kirk was killed.
Mr Kirk, a 31-year-old right-wing influencer, was fatally shot in the neck on Wednesday afternoon while speaking to university students at an event. He died in hospital after being shot.
Charlie Kirk hands out hats before speaking at Utah Valley University where he was later fatally shot. Pic: AP
The rifle suspected of being used in the shooting has been found.
In a briefing on Thursday, FBI agent Robert Bohls said: “I can tell you that we have recovered what we believe is the weapon that was used in yesterday’s shooting… is a high-powered bolt action rifle.
“That rifle was recovered in a wooded area where the shooter had fled. The FBI laboratory will be analysing this weapon.”
Investigators have collected a footwear impression, a palm print, and forearm imprints for analysis.
Authorities have released additional images of the attacker. Pic: Utah Public Safety
Read more:
Who was Charlie Kirk?
Moment gunshot heard at university event – Watch
The father-of-two was the chief executive and co-founder of Turning Point USA, a prominent organisation that engages conservative youth on school campuses.
He had millions of followers across social media.
Mr Kirk and Turning Point USA played a key role in driving youth support for Mr Trump in last November’s presidential election. His events at college campuses nationwide typically drew large crowds.
Many people listened both in person and online to Mr Kirk, as he advocated for conservatism among younger generations and became a leading voice in the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.
President Donald Trump paid tribute to Mr Kirk while on stage at a 9/11 memorial event in Virginia, saying he would be awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Authorities have released additional images of the attacker. Pic: Utah Public Safety
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“Before we begin, let me express the horror and grief so many Americans at the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk have felt,” Mr Trump said.
“Charlie was a giant of his generation, a champion of liberty and an inspiration to millions and millions of people. Our prayers are with his wonderful wife, Erika, and his beautiful children.”
He later added the FBI was making “big progress” in finding the shooter and he has “an indication” of the motive, but declined to expand.
“He’s an animal, total animal, hopefully they’ll have him and they’ll get him.”
Donald Trump had a heated phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after his military targeted Hamas inside Qatar, according to a report.
The American president told Mr Netanyahu on Tuesday that the decision to strike inside the US ally’s territory was not wise, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing senior administration officials.
The Israeli prime minister responded by saying he had a brief window to launch the airstrike and took the opportunity, according to the newspaper.
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Anger over Israeli strikes on Qatar
A second call between the two leaders later that day was cordial, with Mr Trump asking Mr Netanyahu if the attack had been successful, the publication added.
Israel attempted to kill the political leaders of the Islamist group Hamas with the attack in the Qatari capital Doha on Tuesday.
Hamas has said its top leaders survived the airstrike, but five members were killed, including the son of its exiled Gaza chief and top negotiator Khalil al Hayya.
The Israeli military operation in Doha has been widely condemned internationally and was particularly sensitive as Qatar has been hosting and mediating in negotiations which are trying to bring about a ceasefire in the war in Gaza.
On Wednesday, Mr Netanyahu warned Qatar to either expel Hamas officials or “bring them to justice. Because if you don’t, we will”.
Qatar has hit back at him, saying his comments about the Gulf nation hosting a Hamas office were “reckless”.
Donald Trump with Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House earlier this year. Pic: Reuters
Meanwhile, the Israeli ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, has said that if Israel failed to kill Hamas leaders on Tuesday, it would succeed next time.
“We have put terrorists on notice, wherever they may be… we’re going to pursue them, and we’re going to destroy those who will destroy us,” he said.
The airstrike took place shortly after Hamas claimed responsibility for Monday’s shooting at a bus stop on the outskirts of Jerusalem that killed six people.
Read more:
Analysis: Israel has crossed a huge diplomatic red line
In another development, Sir Keir Starmer has had talks with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Downing Street, with Mr Herzog saying they argued during a “tough meeting”.
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PM meets Israeli president
PM condemns Israeli action
The prime minister has condemned the Israeli attack in Qatar, and raised the matter with the president, saying it was “completely unacceptable”.
“He said the strikes were a flagrant violation of a key partner’s sovereignty and do nothing to secure the peace we all desperately want to see,” a Downing Street spokesperson said.
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Israel has been angered by Britain’s plans to join several other Western countries, including France and Canada, in recognising a Palestinian state later this month – unless Israel meets conditions including a ceasefire in Gaza.
“Things were said that were tough and strong, and clearly we can argue, because when allies meet, they can argue. We are both democracies,” Mr Herzog said at an event at Chatham House.
He also proposed offering a “fact-finding mission” to Israel, “sitting with us and studying the situation in Gaza on the humanitarian level”.
“Because we have full answers, and we are fully transparent,” he said.
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