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

Human rights activist Aref Jaber told Anadolu that the army notified residents of the Jaber, Salaymeh, and Wadi al-Hussein neighborhoods — areas under Israeli control — that the curfew would take effect at 04:00 pm local time (1300GMT).

Jaber said the duration of the closure was not specified, but based on previous years, it typically coincides with the start of the holiday, which begins at sunset on Wednesday and lasts for a week.

He added that the curfew affects around 500 Palestinian families, totaling more than 2,500 people, amid a heavy military presence in the streets and restrictions that prevent residents from moving freely or entering and leaving their homes.

Under the 1997 Hebron Protocol between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, the city was divided into two areas: H1, under Palestinian control, and H2, under Israeli control. The latter, which makes up about 20% of the city, includes the Old City and the Ibrahimi Mosque, along with the neighborhoods affected by the curfew.

More than 800 Israeli settlers live in settlements located within the Israeli-controlled area, according to Palestinian estimates.

* Writing by Rania Abushamala in Istanbul.