23.10.2026 14:12
At least 5 Israelis were injured in an armed attack on a checkpoint near Hebron in the occupied West Bank, and 2 Palestinians who carried out the attack were killed in the ensuing clash. It was reported that 2 of the injured are in critical condition. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the army to impose a complete blockade on the West Bank ahead of the elections to be held on Tuesday.
A clash that erupted early Friday morning at a checkpoint in the West Bank escalated tensions ahead of Israel's election. The Israeli army launched a search in the area, while reports said numerous checkpoints had been closed.
CLASH ERUPTS AT CHECKPOINT
The Israeli army announced that after the attack, soldiers were deployed to Judea Junction, also known as the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint. In the army's statement, it said, “Soldiers neutralized two terrorists. Searches continue in the area.” It was claimed that a large amount of ammunition was found in the attackers' vehicle.
An AFP reporter who witnessed the clash reported that two Palestinians wearing civilian clothes exchanged fire with Israeli forces. According to the reporter, one of the Palestinians carried a pistol and the other an automatic rifle. After the clash, the bodies of the two Palestinians were seen lying on the ground next to a gas station, while Israeli soldiers patrolled the surrounding area.
“GUNFIRE CONTINUED NONSTOP FOR 20 MINUTES”
Israel's emergency service Magen David Adom announced that 2 of the 5 people injured in the attack were in critical condition. It was stated that among the injured was a man in his 20s who was shot and was in very serious condition.
According to BBC Monitoring, a medic speaking to the Ynet news site said that during the clash between armed individuals and soldiers, gunfire continued nonstop for 20 minutes.
NETANYAHU ORDERS BLOCKADE
After the attack, Netanyahu instructed the army to halt entry and exit from the area and to impose a full blockade on the West Bank. Netanyahu also asked the Likud Party to cancel its political events. According to AFP, open-source Telegram groups reported that numerous checkpoints in the area had already been closed.
HAMAS DID NOT CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY
Gaza-based Hamas described the attack near Hebron as an “extraordinary, heroic operation” and commemorated the two killed attackers. The organization, which did not claim responsibility for the attack, argued that it was “a natural and legitimate response to ongoing crimes and brutal attacks against their people.”
BEN GVIR'S CALL ON THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, whose support has increased in polls, called after the attack for the Palestinian Authority to be dissolved. Ben Gvir said, “The Palestinian Authority must be dissolved and disarmed, and the terror infrastructure must be completely eliminated.” However, no evidence was presented linking the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority to the attack.
Former Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, seen as Netanyahu's strongest rival in the elections, praised the soldiers' intervention. Eisenkot said, “Like all Israelis, I pray for the full recovery of the wounded as soon as possible.”
TENSION ESCALATING IN THE WEST BANK
The attack coincided with a period of increasingly rising tension in the West Bank. Attacks by extremist Israeli settlers on Palestinians harvesting olives are also fueling the tension.
According to information compiled by AFP from Palestinian Ministry of Health data, since October 2023, when Israel's attacks on Gaza began, 1,113 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces or settlers. According to Israeli data, during the same period, at least 49 Israelis, including civilians and security personnel, were killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations.