Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a closure of Hebron and preparations for a full lockdown of the West Bank on Friday, October 23, 2026, after two Palestinian gunmen opened fire near a checkpoint, wounding at least five people. Israeli troops killed both attackers; Netanyahu said the military had thwarted a larger planned attack.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an immediate closure of Hebron and told security forces to prepare for a full lockdown of the occupied West Bank after a shooting attack near the city on Friday, October 23, 2026, according to NBC News and the Times of Israel.
What happened near Hebron
NBC News reported that at around 7:15 a.m. local time, gunmen opened fire near Yehuda Junction, close to Hebron, using an M16 rifle and a handgun. Al Jazeera described the attackers as two Palestinian men who exchanged fire with Israeli soldiers for about 20 minutes near the settlement of Telem before troops killed both of them.
Both NBC News and the Times of Israel reported that at least five people were wounded in the attack, two of them critically. The Israeli military said it believed the men had been preparing a larger attack on civilians before they were stopped, according to NBC News.
Netanyahu's response
Netanyahu convened an emergency meeting with security chiefs, including Defense Minister Israel Katz, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Shin Bet head David Zini, National Security Adviser Shmuel Ben Ezra and IDF Central Command head Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth, the Times of Israel reported. He ordered an immediate cordon around Hebron and told forces to prepare for a closure of the entire West Bank.
Our forces are operating with increased intensity to thwart terrorism and are carrying out extensive waves of arrests.
— Benjamin Netanyahu, quoted by the Times of Israel
According to NBC News, Netanyahu said soldiers had stopped the attack with courage and determination and blamed Hamas, saying the group had been planning a major attack aimed at killing civilians. He added that troops had found large quantities of weapons and ammunition but gave no further details, NBC News reported.
Political reaction and election backdrop
The shooting occurred days before Israel's general election on October 28, 2026, in which Netanyahu faces opposition candidate Gadi Eisenkot in what the Times of Israel described as a dead heat. NBC News said security had become a central campaign issue. The Times of Israel also noted that the West Bank and Gaza were already due for a separate lockdown on October 28–29 to cover the election itself.
Far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich called for dismantling the Palestinian Authority and launching a wider military campaign in the West Bank, according to NBC News and Al Jazeera.
Al Jazeera reported that Ben-Gvir, Israel's national security minister, said the Palestinian Authority should be dismantled and demilitarised and that armed groups operating under it should be removed entirely.
Al Jazeera reported that Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the PFLP praised the checkpoint attack as retaliation for Israeli military operations and the war in Gaza, while the Times of Israel reported that Hamas described the operation as heroic but did not claim responsibility for carrying it out.
Rising tension across the West Bank
The shooting came amid a broader rise in violence. Al Jazeera reported that Israeli forces arrested 36 Palestinians in West Bank raids on the Thursday before the attack, with operations spanning the Jenin, Hebron, Nablus and Jerusalem governorates.
Separately, Al Jazeera cited the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission in reporting 17 incidents on the same Thursday targeting Palestinian olive harvesters, including assaults, crop theft, tree burning and gunfire threats. NBC News reported that the United Nations had documented at least 160 settler attacks in early October alone, during the olive harvest season.
Key figures reported after the Hebron shooting
Figure
Reported number
Source
People wounded in the shooting
At least 5, including 2 critical
NBC News; Times of Israel
Palestinian gunmen killed by troops
2
NBC News; Al Jazeera
Palestinians arrested in West Bank raids (Thursday)
36
Al Jazeera
Attacks on olive harvesters reported (Thursday)
17 incidents
Al Jazeera, citing Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission
Settler attacks documented in early October
At least 160
NBC News, citing UN figures
As of Friday, Israeli authorities had not specified when a full West Bank closure would take effect or how long it would last. News organizations continued to update their coverage of the situation.
Questions
What triggered the West Bank closure order?
Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered the closure after two Palestinian gunmen opened fire near a checkpoint by Hebron on October 23, 2026, wounding at least five people before Israeli troops killed both attackers, according to NBC News and the Times of Israel.
How many people were hurt in the Hebron shooting?
NBC News and the Times of Israel reported at least five people were wounded, two of them in critical condition.
Did Hamas claim the attack?
According to the Times of Israel, Hamas described the operation as heroic but did not claim responsibility for it. Al Jazeera reported that Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the PFLP praised the attack as retaliation for Israeli actions.
Is the closure linked to Israel's election?
The shooting occurred days before Israel's general election between Netanyahu and opposition candidate Gadi Eisenkot. The Times of Israel noted that the West Bank and Gaza were already scheduled for a separate lockdown on October 28–29 to cover the vote itself.
What else has been happening in the West Bank recently?
Al Jazeera reported 36 arrests in West Bank raids and 17 attacks on Palestinian olive harvesters in the days before the shooting, while NBC News cited UN figures showing at least 160 settler attacks documented in early October.
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