Israel has directed its military to prepare for a complete closure of the occupied west bank on Friday following a deadly shooting incident near the city of Hebron that left several people injured.Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said security forces had been instructed to immediately seal off Hebron and make arrangements to shut down the entire west bank from Friday, according to news agency AP.The orders followed an announcement by the Israeli military that its forces had killed two gunmen and foiled what it described as a “terror attack”.
Two gunmen killed, at least five injured
Israeli soldiers shot dead two men who the military alleged had carried out an attack near Hebron in the occupied west bank on Friday morning. At least five people were injured, some of them critically.According to the army, the two men were armed with an M16 rifle and a handgun. The military said its forces had prevented an attack targeting Israeli civilians but did not disclose the alleged target or identify the deceased and injured individuals.Following the incident, Israeli forces established roadblocks and imposed restrictions on movement in Palestinian towns across the surrounding area.Emergency responders said they reached the scene near Yehuda junction while gunfire was still being reported. The injured were evacuated to hospitals in Israel for treatment.According to the emergency services, two men in their 20s sustained gunshot wounds to their lower limbs, while another person was unconscious and seriously injured.“We arrived at a difficult scene while shooting was still taking place in the area,” said Tzuriel Edri, a member of the emergency response team.Authorities said an investigation into the incident was underway.
Attack raises security concerns ahead of Israeli election
The shooting comes days before Israeli voters are scheduled to cast their ballots next Tuesday in an election that could determine whether Benjamin Netanyahu secures another term as prime minister or the country enters a new political phase.The election is taking place three years after the Hamas-led attacks on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza.The Israeli government has warned of possible attacks by what it described as the country’s “enemies” in the run-up to the vote.Following Friday’s incident, far-right Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir argued that the attack underscored the need to impose further restrictions on Palestinian movement in the West Bank.“The lives of the residents of Judea and Samaria, of the settlers, the lives of the soldiers, the lives of the police officers, the lives of our fighters are a million times more important than freedom of movement,” Ben-Gvir said.Ahead of the anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault, Netanyahu had also alleged that Hamas could launch an attack against Israel to influence the election outcome. He did not provide evidence to support the claim.The latest incident and the subsequent closure orders come amid heightened security concerns in Israel and the occupied west bank ahead of the upcoming polls.
