Deadly West Bank Attack Prompts Israeli Closures Days Before Election

The two terrorists, identified by Haaretz as Firas and Hamuda al-Ja'aba, arrived in a vehicle with an Israeli license plate, armed with an M16 rifle and a pistol. They opened fire on soldiers at a temporary checkpoint, initiating a 20-minute firefight before being shot and killed by Home Front Command soldiers. Security forces discovered a large quantity of ammunition in their vehicle, indicating they had planned a much larger attack. Makan reported that one of the attackers was affiliated with the terrorist organization Hamas.

Following a security assessment, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an immediate security cordon around Hebron and Halhul, and directed security forces to prepare for a complete lockdown of Judea and Samaria. Netanyahu vowed to conduct house-to-house searches in the Hebron neighborhood where the attackers originated, evacuate residents, and dismantle all terror infrastructure. He promised a broad IDF operation in Judea and Samaria on a scale not seen since the Six-Day War.

In response to the attack, Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir called for the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority, accusing it of inciting murder and terrorism. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich ordered the demolition of Palestinian buildings near the attack site, and Israeli forces closed the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron as security operations intensified.