Israel Seals West Bank Borders for Fourth Time This Month After Hebron Shootings

Israeli security forces closed the West Bank to traffic on Friday, marking the fourth such shutdown in the past month. The order followed a shooting incident near the city of Hebron where soldiers killed two men and wounded at least five others. The closure began immediately, sealing off gates and checkpoints that connect Palestinian villages to major roads, while Israeli drivers, including settlers, retained access to the territory's roadways with potential delays.

The events unfolded rapidly on Friday morning. Soldiers intercepted what the military described as a terror attack against Israeli civilians. The two gunmen were armed with an M16 rifle and a handgun. Emergency responders arrived at the Yehuda Junction while gunfire continued. Tzuriel Edri of the response team stated, "We arrived at a difficult scene while shooting was still taking place in the area." Two men in their 20s suffered gunshot wounds to their lower limbs, and a third victim was unconscious and seriously injured. Five people were transported to hospitals in Israel. The identities of the dead and the injured have not been released.

Hours after the shooting, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that security forces were to cordon off Hebron and prepare a full closure of the West Bank. Netanyahu convened an emergency meeting of his Security Cabinet with leaders from the main military and security agencies. He attributed the incident to Hamas, claiming the group was planning a major attack aimed at murdering innocent civilians. Netanyahu praised the troops for thwarting the attack with courage and determination, though he did not specify the intended target of the plot or the status of the wounded individuals.

The closure occurs just days before Israeli voters decide on Tuesday whether to grant Netanyahu another term. The election takes place three years after the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, which started the war in Gaza. The government has cautioned that enemies may attempt to strike before the vote. Netanyahu had previously suggested Hamas might try to influence the election result around the anniversary of the October 7 attacks, although he offered no evidence for that claim.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right figure, used the incident to argue for stricter movement restrictions on Palestinians. He stated, "The lives of the residents of Judea and Samaria, of the settlers, the lives of the soldiers, the lives of the police officers, the lives of our fighters are a million times more important than freedom of movement." He used the Israeli term for the territory in his remarks.

The military reported that soldiers, working with Israeli security and intelligence services, conducted dozens of operations across the West Bank on Friday. Authorities detained dozens of people, including individuals linked to Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Troops also seized weapons, including M16 rifles and submachine guns. An investigation into the Hebron shooting remains ongoing.

This is the fourth time in the past month that Israel has imposed these restrictions. Previous closures halted cross-border trade and movement. The current shutdown will remain in effect as the country prepares for the Tuesday vote.