Israel has ordered its army to prepare for a full closure of the West Bank, following a deadly shooting earlier in the day in the occupied territory.
The move came after soldiers shot and killed two men who the Israeli military said had launched an attack near the city of Hebron in the occupied West Bank on Friday morning.
At least five people were injured, including some critically.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said it instructed security forces to immediately cordon off the city of Hebron and prepare to fully close all of the West Bank, starting on Friday.
The orders came after Israel’s army said it killed two gunmen and thwarted a “terror attack” that injured several people.
Earlier, the army said it prevented a “terror attack against Israeli civilians” and that the gunmen carried an M16 rifle and a handgun. It did not elaborate on the target of the alleged attack. There was also no word on the identities of the two dead and those injured.
The military subsequently set up roadblocks and closures in Palestinian towns in the area.
Emergency responders said five people were injured, some critically, and were being evacuated to hospitals in Israel.
A statement from the responders said gunfire was still ongoing as they arrived at the scene of the attack near the Yehuda Junction on Friday morning.
Two men in their 20s had gunshot wounds to their lower limbs, with one unconscious and seriously injured, the responders said.
“We arrived at a difficult scene while shooting was still taking place in the area,” said Tzuriel Edri with the response team.
An investigation is under way, authorities said.
The deadly shooting comes as Israeli voters decide next Tuesday whether to grant Mr Netanyahu yet another term as prime minister – or usher in a new era of Israeli politics. The election comes three years after the Hamas-led attacks on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza.
Israel’s government has warned of potential attacks by the country’s “enemies” in the lead-up to the election.
Following the shooting, Mr Netanyahu held an emergency meeting of his Security Cabinet and officials from top military and security agencies.
He blamed Hamas, saying the militant group was “planning a major attack aimed at murdering innocent civilians”.
“Our brave soldiers thwarted this attack with courage and determination,” he said, without elaborating on what the planned attack entailed.
“I commend them for their actions and wish our wounded a speedy recovery,” he added but did not say if the wounded were soldiers or civilians.
Israel’s far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, known for extremist views, said that the Hebron attack shows that Israel needs to restrict the Palestinians’ freedom of movement in the West Bank.
“The lives of the residents of Judea and Samaria, of the settlers, the lives of the soldiers, the lives of the police officers, the lives of our fighters are a million times more important than freedom of movement,” he said, using an Israeli reference to the West Bank.
Ahead of the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas-led attack in 2023 that triggered the war, Mr Netanyahu said the Palestinian militant group could attack Israel in a bid to influence the outcome of the elections. He did not provide evidence to back up the claim.
