HEBRON, West Bank — Israeli forces have begun demolishing buildings and evacuating residents in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron after two Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers at a military checkpoint.
Three other soldiers were wounded in the shooting on Friday, October 23, 2026, according to the Israeli military.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered Hebron sealed off and initially directed the military to prepare for wider restrictions across the West Bank.
The Israeli authorities subsequently indicated that a territory-wide closure remained under consideration, while military operations were already underway in Hebron.
The developments came four days before Israel’s parliamentary elections, in which Netanyahu is seeking another term.
Israeli Forces Begin Demolitions and Evacuations
Israeli troops began demolishing structures in Hebron’s Farsh al-Hawa neighbourhood on Friday afternoon, according to CNN.
Footage obtained by the broadcaster showed soldiers ordering residents to leave a residential complex.
“You have five minutes to evacuate,” one soldier told residents.
Netanyahu said the military would conduct extensive searches in the neighbourhood where the gunmen had lived, remove weapons, and destroy infrastructure associated with armed groups.
He compared the planned operation with previous Israeli military campaigns in Jenin, Tulkarm, Nur Shams, and Al-Far’a, where operations in 2025 displaced thousands of Palestinians.
During a visit to the site of the shooting, Netanyahu said the army would remove residents and search buildings throughout the affected neighbourhood.
“We will evacuate the residents, go house to house, remove weapons found there, and address and destroy all terrorist infrastructure,” he said.
The Israeli military said it had imposed a complete security cordon around Hebron.
Netanyahu initially announced preparations for a closure covering the entire West Bank, but later referred to possible restrictions around Hebron and neighbouring Halhul, with provisions for extending them elsewhere.
It was not immediately clear whether a full closure of the territory would be implemented.
Two Israeli Soldiers Killed in Checkpoint Shooting
The confrontation began near Yehuda Junction, outside Hebron, when two Palestinian men opened fire on an Israeli military position.
According to the Associated Press, the Israeli military identified the soldiers killed as Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman, 23, and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem, 20.
Three other soldiers sustained minor injuries.
Israeli forces shot and killed both Palestinian gunmen during a firefight that lasted approximately 20 minutes, according to the military.
The army said the men were from Hebron and had been carrying an M16 rifle and a handgun.
Military officials also reported finding a substantial quantity of ammunition inside a vehicle allegedly used by the attackers.
Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, the Israeli military’s chief of staff, said the weapons and ammunition suggested the men had intended to carry out an attack involving more casualties.
The military said its soldiers had prevented the gunmen from advancing towards an area where civilians might have been targeted.
Authorities were continuing searches for other individuals suspected of involvement.
The military’s account of the gunmen’s intended target had not been independently established.
Israeli Military Expands Operations Across the West Bank
Following the shooting, Israeli security forces conducted additional operations in several West Bank communities.
The army said dozens of people had been detained, including individuals it identified as members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Weapons, including rifles and submachine guns, were also recovered during the operations, according to military officials.
Netanyahu blamed Hamas for the shooting and said Israeli forces would continue pursuing members of the organisation.
Hamas praised the attack, although CNN reported that the group had not claimed responsibility.
The restrictions in Hebron are part of a wider pattern of Israeli military closures affecting Palestinian communities.
According to the Associated Press, Friday’s measures marked the fourth occasion within a month that Israeli authorities had imposed significant movement restrictions across the West Bank.
Such closures generally affect Palestinian access to roads linking towns and villages, while roads used by Israelis, including settlers, often remain accessible.
The immediate effects of the latest restrictions on Hebron’s civilian population had not been fully established.
Shooting Comes Days Before Israeli Election
Israelis are scheduled to vote on Tuesday, October 27, in the country’s first parliamentary election since the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023.
Netanyahu, who has emphasised national security throughout his campaign, faces a challenge from Gadi Eisenkot, a former Israeli military chief of staff.
Eisenkot condemned the shooting and expressed support for the wounded soldiers.
In a statement reported by CNN, he offered prayers for their recovery.
Israeli officials had previously warned of possible attacks ahead of the election.
The violence has also renewed attention on security conditions in the occupied West Bank, where confrontations involving Palestinian armed groups, Israeli soldiers, and settlers have continued.
Netanyahu’s government has defended increased military operations as necessary to prevent attacks against Israelis.
The prime minister has also indicated that the operation in Hebron could extend beyond the immediate area of the shooting.
By Friday afternoon, Israeli troops were continuing demolitions and searches in parts of the city, while the government had yet to clarify the final scope and duration of restrictions across the wider West Bank.
