Netanyahu Orders West Bank Sealed After Fatal Shootout Near Hebron

Israeli soldiers killed two men near Hebron on Friday morning, prompting the government to seal the West Bank borders for the fourth time in the past month.

The military stated that the two gunmen were armed with an M16 rifle and a handgun during what it described as a terror attack against Israeli civilians. At least five people were wounded in the incident, with emergency responders reporting that some were in critical condition. The identities of the dead and the injured have not been released to the public.

Tzuriel Edri, a member of the emergency response team, described arriving at a difficult scene near the Yehuda Junction while gunfire was still active. Responders transported five individuals to hospitals in Israel. Among the injured were two men in their 20s who sustained gunshot wounds to their lower limbs, and another victim who was unconscious and seriously hurt.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the closure shortly after the shooting. His office directed security forces to cordon off Hebron immediately and prepare for a full shutdown of the West Bank beginning that day. Netanyahu convened an emergency meeting with his Security Cabinet and leaders of the main military and intelligence agencies. He attributed the plot to Hamas, claiming the group was planning a major attack aimed at killing innocent civilians.

Netanyahu praised the troops for thwarting the attack with courage and determination, though he provided few details on the specific plot. He wished the wounded a speedy recovery without clarifying whether they were soldiers or civilians. The prime minister had previously warned that Hamas might attempt to strike Israel in the lead up to the election to influence the result, a claim he made without offering new evidence.

The incident occurred days before Israeli voters decide on Tuesday whether to reelect Netanyahu or shift the country into a new political era. The election takes place three years after the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, which triggered the war in Gaza. The government has cautioned that enemies of the state may try to strike before the vote.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right figure, used the attack to argue for stricter limits on Palestinian movement. Ben-Gvir stated that the lives of residents in Judea and Samaria, including settlers, soldiers, and police, are vastly more important than freedom of movement. He used the Israeli term for the territory in his remarks.

Following the shooting, Israeli soldiers conducted dozens of operations across the West Bank in coordination with security and intelligence services. Forces detained dozens of people, including individuals linked to Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Troops also seized weapons, including M16 rifles and submachine guns. An investigation into the shooting remains ongoing.

The closure shuts gates and checkpoints that link Palestinian villages to major roads, halting cross-border movement. Israeli roads within the West Bank remain open to Israeli drivers and settlers, though they may face delays. This is the fourth instance in the past 30 days that Israel has imposed such restrictions on the territory.