Netanyahu orders army to prepare full closure of the West Bank after shootings near Hebron

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed the military to prepare for a full closure of the occupied West Bank after Israeli soldiers shot and killed two men near the city of Hebron, the prime minister's office said.

Emergency services reported that five people were wounded and taken to hospitals, and that some of the injured are in critical condition. The army said the two men had carried out a "terrorist attack" in the area, but gave no details about the intended target or the identities of the dead and wounded.

Roadblocks and restrictions

Following the shootings, the military deployed roadblocks and imposed movement restrictions on Palestinian towns across the area. Several hours after the incident, the prime minister's office said it had ordered security forces to immediately block the city of Hebron and to prepare for a complete shutdown of the entire West Bank, beginning today.

The army earlier stated that it had stopped a "terrorist attack against Israeli civilians," without providing further information. Officials did not release the names of the two killed men nor details on the wounded.

The deadly incident comes days before Israeli voters go to the polls next Tuesday to decide whether to give Netanyahu another term as prime minister or open a new chapter in Israeli politics. The elections take place three years after the Hamas-led attacks on Israel.

In the run-up to the anniversary of the 7 October 2023 attacks that sparked the war, Netanyahu warned that Hamas might try to carry out strikes to influence the election outcome; he did not provide evidence to back that claim.

Photo: press material from the event