Thousands of Jews from Israel and around the world arrived in Hebron on Friday afternoon to celebrate Shabbat in the holy city.
This weekend, Jews worldwide will read the Torah portion Chayei Sarah, which retells Abraham's purchase of the Cave of the Patriarchs in the city to inter his wife. The tomb also houses Abraham himself, as well as Adam and Eve, Isaac and Rebekah, and Jacob and Leah.
Thousands are expected to participate in the annual pilgrimage, connecting to the sacred and historical city and supporting the local Jewish community.
Hundreds of Judea and Samaria District police officers, assisted by additional security forces, have been deployed at the Cave of the Patriarchs and in the Jewish community of Hebron ahead of Shabbat to ensure the safety of thousands of visitors and allow the events to proceed as planned.
Forces under the command of Hebron District Commander Chief Superintendent Eliyahu Zeitoun have been operating in the area since early morning.
On Friday afternoon, a situational assessment was conducted under the leadership of Judea and Samaria District Commander Major General Moshe Pinchi, who toured police positions and praised the forces' preparations.
Pinchi instructed officers to step up traffic management efforts during peak hours ahead of the start of Shabbat and to continue maintaining public order and security in cooperation with all security agencies.