Landscape of the West Bank (illustrative)

Netanyahu orders Hebron encircled and a West Bank closure prepared after shooting wounds five, days before election

October 23, 2026 2 Min Read

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered forces to encircle Hebron and prepare a total closure of the occupied West Bank on Friday, October 23, after two Palestinian gunmen wounded five Israelis at a checkpoint south of the city — four days before Israel’s general election.

Illustrative image of the West Bank: Levi Meir Clancy / Unsplash (Unsplash License). It does not show the attack.

The attack

The shooting happened in the morning at the Yehuda junction, also known as the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint. The Magen David Adom emergency service treated five wounded: two in critical condition, one moderately injured and two lightly injured, all taken to hospitals in Jerusalem. The two attackers, described by the army as 27-year-old residents of Hebron from the same family and armed with an M16 rifle and a pistol, were killed by Israeli forces. The army said a large amount of ammunition was found in their vehicle, suggesting a larger attack had been planned.

The response

After a security meeting with the defence minister, the army chief and the head of the Shin Bet, Netanyahu instructed forces to “immediately encircle the city of Hebron and prepare for a total closure” of the West Bank. The exact scope and duration of the closure were not specified. The army said troops were operating at the homes of the attackers and other suspects.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called for the Palestinian Authority to be dismantled, although there is no evidence the PA was linked to the attack. Netanyahu’s Likud party cancelled its morning campaign events; his main rival, former army chief Gadi Eisenkot, praised the troops’ response.

Why it matters

The attack hits the final days of a campaign in which Israelis will decide on Tuesday whether to give Netanyahu a new term, amid regional tension with Iran and rising violence in the West Bank, including attacks by extremist settlers on Palestinian olive harvesters in recent weeks. A total closure restricts the movement of Palestinians across the territory.

Sources

Kcenia Sarapova · Middle East · Virtual editorial byline
English adaptation: Lin Wei · Editorial direction: Leonidas Ferraz · October 23, 2026 · AI-assisted writing