Israel restricts West Bank travel after shooting kills two soldiers

Travel between Palestinian communities faced new restrictions after a shooting near Hebron killed two Israeli soldiers on Friday, October 23. Three other soldiers were lightly wounded, the Israeli military said. Israel ordered an immediate cordon around Hebron and preparations for a wider closure of the occupied West Bank, AP reported.

An AFP journalist at the checkpoint saw two Palestinian gunmen exchanging fire with Israeli forces and reported that troops killed both men. The attack took place near Yehuda Junction, outside Hebron.

The military’s death announcement updated the initial casualty picture. In an early statement, Israel’s emergency medical service Magen David Adom reported five casualties: two in critical condition, one moderately injured and two lightly injured. These were successive assessments of the same incident; the initial injury figures should not be added to the later military toll.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office distinguished the immediate Hebron cordon from preparations for a full West Bank closure starting Friday. A military statement quoting Central Command chief Avi Bluth also named Halhul in announcing cordons around the two cities.

Elsewhere, WAFA, the Palestinian state news agency, reported closures at particular checkpoints and entrances, citing local sources. Comparing the named locations shows what each account establishes:

WAFA also listed restrictions at access points serving Dura, Bani Na’im and other places around Hebron. Its account describes closures extending into the central and northern West Bank. The military statement naming Hebron and Halhul does not confirm each location in WAFA’s report, and a closed entrance does not by itself establish that every route into a town is blocked.

The distinction matters for an ordinary journey. AP describes gates and checkpoints connecting Palestinian villages to major roads: shutting those access points restricts travel between communities. Israeli drivers, including settlers, can continue using roads in the territory, although they may face delays. Traffic moving along a main road therefore does not establish that a resident can reach it through a village entrance.

Israeli officials said the soldiers had prevented a larger attack. Army chief Eyal Zamir said a vehicle used by the gunmen contained substantial ammunition intended for a bigger operation, CNN reported. That account of a further plan is the military’s assessment. AFP’s eyewitness reporting documents the exchange of fire but does not independently establish what the gunmen intended to do afterward.

Netanyahu blamed Hamas, AP reported. Hamas praised the shooting without claiming responsibility, according to AFP. Its praise does not establish who organized the attack. The shooting came four days before Israel’s parliamentary election on Tuesday, October 27.

Netanyahu later said residents would be evacuated from a Hebron neighborhood and troops would search homes for weapons, CNN reported. The report described an announced plan and did not establish that the evacuation had taken place.

For people whose journeys depend on the affected entrances, the remaining uncertainties are practical. The military notice naming Hebron and Halhul provides no reopening time, comprehensive closure boundaries or details of medical and other exemptions. CNN likewise reported uncertainty over when a full West Bank closure would begin and how long it would last.