Israel shuts down West Bank after two soliders shot dead by Palestinian gunmen

Israel locked down the West Bank after two Israel Defense Forces soldiers were killed and three wounded by two Palestinian gunmen.On Friday, two Palestinian gunmen armed with an M16 rifle and a handgun, whom Israeli authorities alleged were members of Hamas, opened fire at an IDF position near the city of Hebron, triggering a gunfight that lasted around 20 minutes until both were killed.The IDF identified the soldiers killed as Staff Sgt. Ron Yonatan Roytman and Sgt. Yuval Shai Svilem, and vowed a stern response. That response was quick in coming, in the form of a massive counterinsurgency operation that locked down the entire West Bank. Israeli soldiers and emergency personnel gather near ambulances following a shooting attack carried out by Palestinian gunmen at a junction near Hebron in the occupied West Bank, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean) IDF troops carried out a series of raids on Palestinian locations, making a large number of arrests.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened the Minister of Defense, the IDF Chief of Staff, the Director of the Shin Bet, the National Security Advisor, and the Commander of the IDF Central Command shortly after the attack to discuss a response. He claimed preliminary findings indicated a much larger attack was planned.“It appears that Hamas terrorists were planning a major attack aimed at murdering innocent civilians, as evidenced by the large quantities of weapons and ammunition discovered. Our brave soldiers thwarted this attack with courage and determination. I commend them for their actions and wish our wounded a speedy recovery,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.“I have instructed the IDF and security forces to immediately cordon off the city of Hebron and take additional security measures to prevent terrorist attacks originating from Judea and Samaria,” Netanyahu added, using the Israeli terms for the West Bank.Speaking in a video address, wearing a bulletproof vest, he announced preparations for a “large-scale operation” in the West Bank.“The IDF will enter the neighborhoods from which the terrorists came, evacuate the residents, go house to house, and destroy the terrorist infrastructure,” Netanyahu said.The full scope of the lockdown and how long it will last weren’t immediately clear, but it will likely involve heavy restrictions on movement within, into, and out of the West Bank.Wafa, the Palestinian Authority’s official outlet, reported that the IDF “tightened military restrictions at most entrances and exits to cities and villages across the occupied West Bank on Friday, closing numerous military checkpoints and iron gates in the southern, central, and northern parts of the territory.” It also reported the setup of new checkpoints and restrictions on dozens of towns, cities, and general areas.Notably, Wafa only reported on IDF soldiers having “opened live fire at two young men at the northern entrance to Hebron, injuring them. Preliminary reports indicated that both may have been killed.” Follow-up reports in the ensuing hours never clarified that the two had been armed and engaged in a gunfight with the troops.Itamar Ben Gvir, the controversial Israeli Minister of National Security, was at the scene of the shooting soon after. He blamed the attack on the Palestinian Authority and called for it to be dismantled.“There cannot be a situation where, within Judea and Samaria, we have a state of terror. We need to dismantle them, we need to stop the movement, the joint routes here of Jews and Authority residents. The freedom of movement for Authority residents is less important than our right to live,” Ben Gvir said.Israeli Financial Minister Bezalel Smotrich ordered the immediate demolition of Palestinian structures located near the attack.IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir also arrived at the scene soon after the attack, praising the soldiers for their work in taking out the gunmen.NEW YORK HOUSE CANDIDATE BRAD LANDER BRIEFLY DETAINED BY ISRAELI MILITARY WITH GROUP VISITING WEST BANK“This was a serious terrorist attack. The soldiers’ swift response prevented an even more severe attack and further casualties among civilians and security forces,” Zamir said. “A large quantity of ammunition was found in the vehicle used by the terrorists to reach the scene. It was intended for a larger-scale attack.”The attack came at a time of high political sensitivity in Israel, as voters prepare for the first Israeli election since the Hamas terrorist attacks of Oct. 7, 2023. Netanyahu has run on his record as a national-security candidate, thereby incentivizing a strong response to the attack.