Netanyahu orders West Bank lockdown:Move after Hebron shooting injures 5 Israelis; Israeli Minister calls for Gaza-style military campaign against Palestinians

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday ordered security forces to cordon off the Palestinian city of Hebron and prepare for a complete lockdown of the occupied West Bank after a shooting near a checkpoint left five Israelis injured. Two Palestinian men opened fire on Israeli nationals at a checkpoint near Hebron, prompting Israeli soldiers to return fire and kill both attackers. The two men were later identified as members of the same Palestinian family. Following the incident, Netanyahu convened an emergency meeting of his Security Cabinet and senior military and security officials. He said Israeli forces had thwarted an attack and accused Hamas of planning a major assault aimed at killing civilians. However, no further details were provided to substantiate the claim. The announcement comes amid escalating tensions in the occupied West Bank and ahead of Israel’s October 27 election, in which Netanyahu faces a closely contested race against a political bloc involving former army chief Gadi Eisenkot and former prime ministers Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett. Israeli Minister calls for Gaza-style response Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a far-right ally of Netanyahu and a key coalition partner, called for a military campaign in the West Bank similar to Israel’s operations in Gaza. Smotrich also urged the government to dismantle the Palestinian Authority (PA), the internationally recognised Palestinian self-governing body that administers parts of the West Bank. The shooting comes as Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians have intensified in the territory. The latest incident and Netanyahu’s proposed crackdown could further escalate tensions. Shooting captured on camera An AFP journalist who witnessed the incident said two Palestinian men, dressed in civilian clothes and carrying a handgun and an automatic rifle, exchanged fire with Israeli forces near the checkpoint. The journalist photographed the gunmen during the exchange, which ended with both men being shot dead by Israeli personnel. The incident comes amid heightened political rhetoric during Israel’s election campaign, with Netanyahu and his allies repeatedly criticising Palestinian political leaders. The occupied West Bank has also experienced near-daily attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in recent months. ​