Netanyahu Orders West Bank Closure After Hebron Shootout Kills Two Troops

The Israeli army confirmed Friday that two soldiers were killed in a gunfight with Palestinian gunmen near the Yehuda Junction outside Hebron. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by ordering the closure of the occupied West Bank, marking the fourth such restriction in the past month.

According to military statements, the two attackers reached an Israeli position in the morning and initiated a 20-minute exchange of fire. The suspects, identified as men from Hebron, were armed with an M16 assault rifle and a handgun. Both gunmen died during the engagement, and three other soldiers sustained light wounds.

Emergency responders treated five injured individuals at Israeli hospitals. Tzuriel Edri, a member of the response team, described arriving at a difficult scene while shooting was still ongoing. Two men in their 20s suffered gunshot wounds to their lower limbs, and one person was unconscious and seriously hurt. An investigation into the incident is underway.

Netanyahu convened an emergency meeting with his security cabinet and senior military officials. His office instructed security forces to cordon off Hebron immediately and prepare to close the entire territory. The prime minister attributed the plot to Hamas, stating the group was planning a major attack to murder innocent civilians, though he provided no specific details on the planned operation. He said his soldiers thwarted the attack with courage and determination.

Army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir announced that forces began precise searches in the specific Hebron neighborhood where the gunmen operated. This multi-day operation will limit resident movement to three designated exit points after security screening. Zamir noted that a large quantity of ammunition intended for a larger-scale attack was found in a vehicle used by the attackers. The military also began demolishing infrastructure described as a threat.

Across the West Bank, Israeli forces and security agencies conducted dozens of operations on Friday. They arrested dozens of individuals, including members affiliated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad, and seized weapons such as M16 rifles and submachine guns. Netanyahu stated the military would force Palestinians out of the neighborhood where the attackers came from, comparing the move to Israel's 2025 assaults on refugee camps.

U.S. congressional candidate Brad Lander, who was detained in the West Bank on Wednesday, called the closure an effort to make Palestinian life impossible. The violence occurs as voters prepare to decide on Tuesday whether to grant Netanyahu another term. Amnesty International has described this year's olive harvest as a season of horror for Palestinian families due to a surge in settler violence.

Human Rights Watch has stated that such expulsions amount to war crimes, a claim Israel rejects. The military continues its search operations in Hebron, with residents remaining under strict movement restrictions.