Netanyahu Orders Full West Bank Closure After Fatal Hebron Ambush

The Israeli military confirmed on Friday that two soldiers were killed by Palestinian gunmen near the Yehuda Junction outside Hebron. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the incident by ordering a complete closure of the West Bank. This measure marks the fourth time in the past month that Israel has restricted movement across the territory by shutting gates and checkpoints linking Palestinian villages to main roads.

Israeli forces engaged the two attackers in an exchange of fire that lasted approximately 20 minutes. The military stated that the gunmen, identified as Palestinians from Hebron, were armed with an M16 assault rifle and a handgun. Three other soldiers sustained light wounds during the engagement. Emergency responders transported five injured individuals to hospitals in Israel, including two men in their 20s with lower limb gunshot wounds and one unconscious person in serious condition.

Netanyahu convened an emergency session of his security cabinet with senior military and security officials present. His office directed security forces to cordon off Hebron immediately and prepare to seal the entire West Bank starting Friday. The prime minister attributed the incident to Hamas, claiming the group was planning a major attack aimed at murdering innocent civilians. He noted that his soldiers thwarted the attack with courage and determination, though he did not provide specific details about the planned strike.

Following the closure, the army initiated precise and targeted searches in the specific Hebron district where the gunmen operated. This operation is expected to continue for several days. Residents in the affected area are permitted to leave only through three designated exit points after undergoing questioning and security screening. The military also began demolishing infrastructure that it determined posed a threat to security.

Army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir announced that a large quantity of ammunition was found in a vehicle used by the attackers. He stated that the supplies were intended for a larger scale attack. On the same day, Israeli forces and security agencies conducted dozens of operations across the West Bank. These actions resulted in the arrest of dozens of individuals, including members affiliated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad, as well as the seizure of weapons such as M16 rifles and submachine guns.

The violence occurs ahead of the national election scheduled for next Tuesday, where voters will decide whether to grant Netanyahu another term. The prime minister suggested that Hamas might attempt to strike Israel to influence the election outcome, a claim he made without presenting new evidence. This timing coincides with the approach of the anniversary of the October 7, 2023 attack led by Hamas.

Netanyahu stated that the military would force Palestinians out of the Hebron neighborhood from which the attackers originated. He compared this approach to Israel's assaults on two Palestinian refugee camps in 2025. Human Rights Watch has previously described such expulsions as war crimes, a characterization Israel rejects. Brad Lander, a U.S. congressional candidate who was detained by Israeli forces on Wednesday, described the closure as an effort to take more control and make Palestinian life impossible.

The West Bank has also experienced a surge in settler violence during this year's olive harvest. Amnesty International characterized the period as a season of horror for Palestinian families. Tzuriel Edri of the emergency response team described arriving at a difficult scene while shooting was still active in the area. Authorities confirmed that an investigation into the incident is currently underway.