Soldiers kill two men near Hebron days before Israeli vote

Israeli drivers in the West Bank face immediate travel restrictions as security forces seal off the territory ahead of Tuesday's national election. The closure began Friday, just days before voters choose between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and new political leadership. This is the fourth time in the past month that Israel has shut down access points across the region.

The decision followed a violent incident near the city of Hebron on Friday morning. Soldiers shot and killed two men after the military said the pair launched an attack against Israeli civilians. The army reported that the gunmen carried an M16 rifle and a handgun. Officials did not identify the intended target of the shooting.

At least five people were wounded in the exchange. Emergency responders said they arrived at the scene near the Yehuda Junction while gunfire was still active. Tzuriel Edri of the response team described the scene as difficult due to the ongoing combat. Two men in their 20s sustained gunshot wounds to their lower limbs. A third victim was unconscious and seriously hurt. All five injured individuals were transported to hospitals in Israel.

The identities of the dead and the wounded have not been made public. An investigation into the incident is ongoing. Hours after the shooting, the office of Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that security forces were to cordon off Hebron immediately. The order extended to a full closure of the entire West Bank, effective Friday.

Netanyahu convened an emergency meeting with his Security Cabinet and leaders of the main military and security agencies. He blamed Hamas for the incident, claiming the group was planning a major attack aimed at murdering innocent civilians. The prime minister praised the troops for thwarting the attack with courage and determination. He did not provide specific details about the plot or specify whether the wounded were soldiers or civilians.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir used the incident to argue for stricter limits on Palestinian movement. He stated that the lives of residents, settlers, soldiers, and police officers are a million times more important than freedom of movement. Ben-Gvir used the Israeli term Judea and Samaria when referring to the territory. This is the fourth closure in the past month that has restricted access between Palestinian villages and major roads.

Israeli roads within the West Bank remain open to Israeli drivers, including settlers, though they may experience delays. The vote takes place three years after the Hamas-led attacks that started the war in Gaza. Israel's government has cautioned that the country's enemies may try to strike in the run-up to the election.

Netanyahu had previously suggested that Hamas might try to hit Israel to sway the election result, though he offered no evidence for that claim. On Friday, soldiers working with security and intelligence services carried out dozens of operations across the West Bank. They detained dozens of people, including individuals linked to Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Troops reported finding weapons such as M16 rifles and submachine guns during these raids.