Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued the directive Friday morning, instructing the IDF to immediately seal Hebron and prepare for a total shutdown of the West Bank. The order came hours after Israeli forces killed two men near the Yehuda junction, whom the army described as perpetrators of a thwarted "terror attack." Emergency teams reported the scene was still active with gunfire when they arrived.
The military stated the two deceased men were armed with an M16 rifle and a handgun. At least five others sustained injuries, including two men in their 20s with gunshot wounds to their lower limbs and one unconscious individual. Tzuriel Edri, an emergency responder, described the chaotic scene: "We arrived at a difficult scene while shooting was still taking place in the area." Injured Palestinians were evacuated to hospitals inside Israel for treatment.
This escalation lands with brutal timing. Israel heads to the polls next Tuesday, a vote that could determine whether Netanyahu remains in power or the country shifts political direction. The election occurs three years after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir seized on the incident to justify stricter controls, arguing that the lives of settlers and soldiers outweigh Palestinian freedom of movement.
Netanyahu had previously alleged, without providing evidence, that Hamas might launch attacks to sway the election. The current closure orders reinforce those fears, turning a localized security incident into a national political crisis. With roadblocks already imposed across surrounding Palestinian towns, the full Friday closure threatens to isolate the population just as voters prepare to cast ballots.