Hebron Cordon and 70 Arrests Follow Killing of Two Soldiers

Two Israeli soldiers died in a shooting near Hebron on Friday, triggering a major military operation and the arrest of approximately 70 Palestinians in the West Bank.

The attack occurred when two gunmen opened fire at a junction. The Israeli military stated the shooters used an M16 rifle and a handgun. Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem were killed, while three other soldiers sustained light injuries. Forces at the scene killed the two attackers. The military recovered a large quantity of weapons and ammunition from the gunmen's vehicle, which officials said indicated plans for a larger strike on civilians.

The violence follows a recent surge in incidents in the region. This week, Brad Lander, a New York Democratic candidate for Congress, was briefly detained by Israeli forces while assisting Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest. The shooting now occurs days before Israeli elections scheduled for Tuesday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the gunmen as Hamas terrorists. Hamas called the attack heroic and a legitimate response to ongoing crimes against its people and holy sites, though the group did not claim formal responsibility. Hamas also urged armed Palestinians in the West Bank to target Israeli soldiers and civilians. Netanyahu characterized the shooting as an attempt to influence the upcoming vote, referencing a warning he issued weeks earlier that enemies were preparing attacks to sway the election.

Netanyahu ordered the evacuation of the Hebron neighborhood where the gunmen lived. He instructed troops to demolish the attack site and transform the area. The Prime Minister announced a wider campaign where the Israeli Defense Forces would enter specific neighborhoods, evacuate residents, and conduct house-to-house searches to dismantle what he called terror infrastructure. He stated Israel is prepared for an extensive operation in Judea and Samaria.

The Israeli military began offensive counterterrorism operations in the Hebron area on Friday. Soldiers are currently operating inside the homes of the attackers and other suspects. The army reported that the roughly 70 arrests took place over the past week in West Bank operations.

Netanyahu's Likud party announced that the Prime Minister convened senior security chiefs on Friday. All campaign events for the rest of the day were canceled. The cordon of Hebron, a city with more than 200,000 inhabitants, remains in place as the search for weapons continues.