Netanyahu orders West Bank closure after checkpoint attack kills two Israeli soldiers

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a closure of the occupied West Bank after two Palestinian gunmen attacked a military checkpoint near Hebron on Friday, killing two Israeli soldiers and lightly wounding three others, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

The IDF said both attackers were shot dead and that troops were searching for others who may have been connected to the assault. It also said forces found the gunmen’s vehicle containing a large quantity of ammunition. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said the soldiers’ response prevented a larger attack.

The military imposed what it called a “full siege” on Hebron, while Netanyahu ordered a broader West Bank closure. CNN reported that the timing and duration of the wider restrictions remained unclear. Netanyahu also promised an extensive military operation in the territory and said the area from which the attackers came would be evacuated and transformed, referring to operations conducted in West Bank refugee camps in 2025.

The attack occurred four days before Israel’s October 27 parliamentary election, the first since the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023. Netanyahu cancelled campaign events and travelled to Hebron. The election campaign has focused heavily on his security record, the Gaza war and challenges from parties both within and outside his right-wing coalition. Opinion polling cited by The Indian Express indicated that neither the governing coalition nor opposition parties were assured of a majority in the 120-seat Knesset.