West Bank Commuters Stranded After Fatal Ambush

The Israeli army sealed the West Bank on Friday after a 20-minute exchange of fire left two soldiers and two Palestinian gunmen dead.

The incident began in the morning near Yehuda Junction, outside Hebron, when two men armed with an M16 assault rifle and a handgun approached an Israeli military position. The army stated that the suspects were Palestinians from Hebron. The ensuing firefight lasted approximately 20 minutes, resulting in the deaths of both attackers. Three other soldiers sustained minor injuries during the engagement.

Emergency responders treated five individuals at local hospitals. Two men in their 20s sustained gunshot wounds to their lower limbs, while one other person arrived unconscious and seriously hurt. Tzuriel Edri, a member of the response team, described the scene as difficult, noting that shooting was still occurring when the team arrived. Authorities confirmed that an investigation into the incident is currently underway.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an emergency meeting of his security cabinet. He ordered security forces to cordon off Hebron and close the entire West Bank starting Friday. Netanyahu attributed the attack to Hamas, claiming the group was planning a major offensive to kill civilians, though he provided no specific details on the planned operation. His office stated that the soldiers thwarted the attack with determination. Later that day, the army launched targeted searches in the area where the gunmen operated. These operations are expected to last several days. Residents in the affected zone may leave only through three designated points after undergoing security screening. The military also began demolishing infrastructure it identified as a threat. Army chief of staff Eyal Zamir reported that a large quantity of ammunition was found in a vehicle used by the attackers, suggesting a larger-scale attack was intended.

The closure comes as Israeli voters prepare to decide whether to grant Netanyahu another term next Tuesday. The timing coincides with the anniversary of the October 7, 2023, attack. Netanyahu suggested Hamas might strike to influence the election, although he offered no evidence for this claim. This is the fourth time in the past month that Israel has restricted movement across the territory by shutting gates and checkpoints. The army reported conducting dozens of operations across the West Bank on Friday, arresting dozens of people and seizing weapons, including M16 rifles and submachine guns. Some of those arrested were affiliated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Netanyahu stated that the military would force Palestinians out of the Hebron neighborhood where the attackers originated. Human Rights Watch has described such expulsions as war crimes, a characterization Israel rejects. Brad Lander, a U.S. congressional candidate detained in the West Bank on Wednesday, called the closure an effort to make Palestinian life impossible. Amnesty International has noted a surge in settler violence during this year's olive harvest, describing the period as a season of horror for Palestinian families.