Netanyahu orders Hebron closure after West Bank shooting kills two attackers

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In brief

How it came to this

23 October, early morningTwo gunmen open fire on soldiers at a checkpoint north of Hebron
23 October, after the exchange of fireBoth attackers are killed by Israeli troops after about 20 minutes of shooting
23 October, Netanyahu's orderNetanyahu orders closure of Hebron and preparations for a West Bank lockdown
23 October, campaign events cancelledNetanyahu cancels all Likud campaign events planned for Friday morning

The attack near Hebron

Two Palestinian gunmen opened fire on soldiers at a military checkpoint at a large junction north of Hebron on the morning of Friday, 23 October, according to a photographer working for AFP. Both were dressed in black, and one carried a pistol while the other held an assault rifle. Israeli troops killed both men, and the exchange of fire lasted about 20 minutes, according to Israeli media. Hebron, the largest city in the West Bank, is split into two sectors, with Palestinian authorities controlling one and the Israeli army controlling the other, where settlers live.

Casualties and conflicting counts

Israel's ambulance service Magen David Adom reported five people wounded, two of them in critical condition. A separate report carried by Greek media put the number at six injured Israeli soldiers, a figure that does not match the five cited by the ambulance service. Israeli authorities told AFP that all the injured were Israelis aged about 20, without saying whether any of them were soldiers. Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir said during an assessment of the incident that the rapid response of the troops prevented a far more serious attack. Reports say a large quantity of ammunition was found in the vehicle the attackers arrived in, and Zamir said it was meant for an attack on a larger scale. He ordered that additional forces be readied at Central Command if needed, as Israeli authorities weigh further security measures in the West Bank.

Netanyahu's orders and the campaign

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after an assessment that included the head of the Shin Bet internal security service and the commander of Central Command, ordered an immediate closure of Hebron. He also instructed security forces to prepare a general lockdown of the occupied West Bank, to take effect from the same day. His office said the assessment had averted a large-scale attack. Netanyahu also cancelled all Likud party campaign events scheduled for Friday morning, the party said. Israel holds parliamentary elections on 27 October, a few days after the attack.

Political reaction

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right politician, called for the Palestinian Authority to be dissolved. He warned that Israel should not wait for a repeat of 7 October in the West Bank, where he said the next war would break out. He also called for the Palestinian Authority to be demilitarised. His remarks came as the army and the prime minister's office were announcing the closure and the preparations for a wider lockdown.

Background of the violence

Violence in the West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967, has risen since Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, an attack that triggered the war in Gaza. An AFP count based on Palestinian health ministry data puts at least 1,113 Palestinians killed in the territory since October 2023, most of them by Israeli soldiers. UN figures attribute 37 of those deaths to settlers. At least 49 Israelis were killed in the same period, mostly in attacks by Palestinians and during Israeli military operations.

Deaths in the West Bank since October 2023people

Data from the article text