For the past several weeks, the IDF has imposed a curfew on 44,000 Palestinians in Hebron and Hawara. As a result, thousands of families and their children are confined to their homes for days and weeks on end. The prolonged curfew harms all aspects of life for this large civilian population, and constitutes a collective punishment, forbidden under international law.

• Hebron: In Area H2, which remains under Israeli security control, an uninterrupted curfew has been in force since the beginning of October for the 40,000 Palestinians living in the area. The curfew does not apply to the hundreds of Israeli settlers living in H2. As a result of the curfew, 34 schools are closed. Three of these schools have been taken over by the IDF and turned into military bases: the Ma'aref school, Usama bin Munkez, and the Johar school.

• Hawara: In this village of 4,000 near Nablus, curfew has been in effect intermittently since 6 October. The IDF took over two rooftops and established outposts on them: the homes of the family of Kheiri Salim Hamus and Ali Musa. The prolonged curfew at this time of year, prevents the residents from harvesting olives, which is a primary source of income.

Thousands of Palestinians, including children, suffer from the effects of the prolonged curfew: a shortage of food and other essential supplies, harm to health services and ambulances, loss of employment and sources of income, and lack of regular garbage collection.

B'Tselem calls on the IDF to lift the curfew on Hebron and Hawara and enable the civilian population to return to normal life.