Israel began destroying buildings and forcing residents to evacuate residents in the occupied West Bank on Friday, hours after two Palestinian gunmen opened fire on an Israeli military checkpoint, killing two soldiers.
Three more soldiers sustained minor injuries in the attack in Hebron, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.
The attack came just four days before Israel’s first elections since the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, and was a major test for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has sought to portray himself as a security hardliner.
The IDF said it had “complete siege” on the city of Hebron after the attack, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered a complete shutdown of the West Bank starting Friday.
Hours later, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to scale back plans for a complete lockdown of the territory, saying he was considering setting up a “cordon” around the cities of Hebron and Harfur, with the possibility of extending to other areas.
Prime Minister Netanyahu also said the military would forcibly evacuate attacked areas and “completely transform” by adopting a plan adopted in early 2025 in refugee camps in Jenin, Turkalum, Nur Shams and al-Fala, which led to the evacuation of thousands of Palestinians and the displacement of entire neighborhoods.
In a joint statement, the military and the Israel Security Agency (ISA) announced that Israeli authorities had launched a multi-day anti-terrorism operation in the Hebron area.
“Troops have begun a thorough, precise and targeted search across the region to locate and remove terrorist infrastructure and weapons while interrogating the suspects,” the statement said, adding that the operation was limited to the areas where the perpetrators were active.
The IDF and ISA said residents living in the area could exit through three designated exits and would be subject to interrogation and security checks. Those who “raised suspicions” will be referred to security forces for further questioning.
The military and ISA added that the operation is a continuation of counter-terrorism measures taken since the morning, including “mapping of terrorist residences, cordoning off the areas of Hebron and Harfur, setting up barricades and carrying out counter-terrorism operations in areas across the sector.”
The statement also said “illegal structures that may pose a security threat” in the area were being demolished.
Israeli human rights group B’Tselem condemned the plan to “forcefully evict the Palestinian population” from the Hebron suburbs.
“Israel announces its next crime in advance,” said Yuri Novak, the group’s executive director. “Prime Minister Netanyahu and Katz (Israel’s defense minister) have announced their intention to vacate the Palestinian enclave of Hebron and repeat the large-scale displacement and destruction inflicted on refugee camps in the northern West Bank.”
By Friday afternoon, Israeli forces had launched a sabotage campaign in Hebron’s Farsh al-Hawa neighborhood. Footage obtained by CNN shows an Israeli soldier telling residents of an apartment complex that they have five minutes to evacuate.
“That’s exactly what we will do in the Hebron neighborhood, where the terrorists come from. We will evacuate the population, go door to door, remove weapons found there, and deal with and destroy all terrorist infrastructure,” Netanyahu said.
IDF closes West Bank after gunfire injures 5 Israelis
Troops continued to search the area for anyone who may have been involved in the attack. The Israel Defense Forces said the two gunmen were shot dead early Friday.
Video from the scene showed a gunfight between Palestinian gunmen and Israeli forces that lasted at least several minutes, with repeated gunfire ringing out. One Reuters video shows Israeli responders shouting that the shooting had been going on for at least 20 minutes and that they were struggling to remove the wounded from the scene.
The Israel Defense Forces said it had discovered the vehicle used by the attackers in the attack and that it was loaded with “large amounts” of ammunition. “This was a serious terrorist attack,” IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said after assessing the situation. “The militants’ quick action prevented a more serious attack and further damage to civilians and security forces.” He said the ammunition in the vehicle was intended to be used “to carry out a larger attack.”
Zamir said the IDF would carry out more arrests of suspects and step up intelligence operations in the region.
“We will pursue Hamas terrorists and those who send them wherever they are, at all times,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.
Hamas praised the attack in a statement but did not claim responsibility.
Gadi Eisenkot, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s chief rival and former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, said in a statement regarding X: “I join all Israelis in praying for a full and speedy recovery for those injured in the attack.”
This story has been updated with the latest developments.
