Israel Orders West Bank Lockdown After Killing Two Suspects

Israel ordered a security lockdown across the occupied West Bank on Friday, October 23, 2026, after its military killed two people accused of carrying out a shooting near Hebron that injured at least five people. The measures followed an emergency security meeting led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, days before a pivotal Israeli election.

Netanyahu's office instructed the Israel Defense Forces to restrict movement in Hebron and prepare broader measures across the territory. The announcement came amid increased military activity and settler violence during the Palestinian olive harvesting season.

The prime minister's office said the military had been instructed to “impose a closure” on Hebron.

It also directed the military to prepare for a “full lockdown” across the West Bank beginning Friday.

Israeli emergency service Magen David Adom said it received a report of multiple casualties at approximately 7:15 a.m. local time, or 12:15 a.m. Eastern time, following the shooting near Yehuda Junction outside Hebron. First responders treated at least five injured people, including two in critical condition.

The Israeli military said the two people killed were armed with an M16 rifle and a handgun. It also announced that “numerous” soldiers would operate in the area after the incident. The identities of the two alleged attackers had not been established publicly by late Friday morning.

Following the emergency security meeting, Netanyahu blamed Hamas for the attack and alleged that the Palestinian militant group was preparing further violence.

Netanyahu said Hamas was “planning a major attack aimed at murdering innocent civilians.”

The prime minister also referred to “large quantities of weapons and ammunition discovered,” without providing additional details about the alleged plot.

In a statement distributed by the Israeli government's press office, Netanyahu praised the military response.

“Our brave soldiers thwarted this attack with courage and determination,” Netanyahu said.

He also addressed those injured in the incident.

“I commend them for their actions and wish our wounded a speedy recovery,” Netanyahu said. He did not clarify whether the injured included military personnel, civilians, or both.

Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for the Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, to be dismantled following the shooting.

“There cannot be a situation where, within Judea and Samaria, we have a state of terror,” Ben-Gvir said in a post on X, using a term favored by some Israelis for the territory.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also advocated a broader military response, arguing that the Palestinian Authority should be removed and weapons seized.

Smotrich said there was “no avoiding a comprehensive military campaign” in the West Bank.

He called for the military to “dismantle the Palestinian authority, collect weapons, and eliminate terrorists — just as in Gaza and Lebanon.”

The latest escalation comes ahead of Israel's election scheduled for Tuesday, October 27. The vote is widely viewed as a referendum on Netanyahu's leadership following the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attacks. Netanyahu has emphasized national security throughout his campaign, while his government has repeatedly warned of potential attacks without providing supporting evidence.

Violence in the West Bank has intensified during the olive harvest, with Palestinian farmers, activists, and foreign nationals among those affected. Earlier in the week, New York congressional candidate Brad Lander was detained alongside activists and American rabbis while in the territory.

The United Nations recorded at least 160 Israeli settler attacks linked to the olive harvesting season during the first two weeks of October. The organization said many occurred “under the protection of, or with the participation of, Israeli forces.” Netanyahu's government has continued to support settlement expansion in the West Bank despite international condemnation.