Israel ordered an immediate cordon around the city of Hebron and told its military to prepare for a full lockdown of the entire West Bank on Friday, October 23, 2026, after Israeli soldiers shot dead two Palestinians whom the army accused of carrying out a "terror attack against Israeli civilians" near a checkpoint.
What Happened at the Checkpoint
The shooting took place on Friday morning near Yehuda Junction, also known as the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint, at the northern entrance to Hebron in the occupied West Bank. Israel's army said two Palestinians carrying an M16 rifle and a handgun opened fire on Israeli civilians, and soldiers returned fire, killing both men.
An AFP journalist at the scene reported witnessing two men in casual attire exchange fire with Israeli forces at the checkpoint, with their bodies later lying on the ground near a petrol station. Emergency responders said gunfire was still ongoing when they arrived; two men in their 20s were treated for gunshot wounds to the lower limbs, and one person was unconscious and seriously injured. Al Jazeera reported that at least five Israeli soldiers were wounded, two critically.
Netanyahu Orders Hebron Cordon, Readies Full Lockdown
Hours after the shooting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced an immediate cordon on the city of Hebron and preparations for a full lockdown of all of the West Bank, using Israel's official term "Judea and Samaria." The military set up roadblocks and closures in Palestinian towns near the scene, with checkpoints closed and iron gates installed at entrances and exits around the Hebron governorate. Israeli roads in the territory remained open to Israeli drivers, including settlers.
Netanyahu blamed Hamas, saying the group was "planning a major attack aimed at murdering innocent civilians," and vowed to "pursue Hamas terrorists" everywhere. Hamas hailed the shooting as an "exceptional heroic operation" and a "natural and legitimate response," mourning the two dead men without formally claiming responsibility.
Reactions and the Election Clock
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for the Palestinian Authority to be dismantled and demilitarised, declaring that residents' lives "are a million times more important than freedom of movement." Al Jazeera separately reported that 36 Palestinians were arrested in West Bank raids the previous day and 17 attacks on olive-harvest farmers were documented on Thursday.
The lockdown order lands just days before Israel's parliamentary election on Tuesday, October 27 — Netanyahu cancelled all of his Friday political meetings after the attack. According to an AFP tally of Palestinian health ministry data, Israeli forces or settlers have killed 1,113 Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023; Israeli figures show at least 49 Israelis killed in the same period.
The Takeaway
Friday's order marks the fourth such sweeping restriction in the past month, and the coming days will test whether the lockdown calms or further inflames an already volatile West Bank — with voters heading to the polls on Tuesday watching every development.
Sources: New Indian Express, NDTV, Al Jazeera (all Oct 23, 2026)
Watch: Mirror Now's video report on the Hebron checkpoint shooting and Netanyahu's West Bank closure order
Music in this post's reel: Kevin MacLeod - Movement Proposition (incompetech.com), licensed under CC BY 3.0