Israel imposes full closure of West Bank after Hebron shooting kills two soldiers

Israel has announced a full closure of the occupied West Bank after two Israeli soldiers were killed in a shooting attack on a military checkpoint in Hebron. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is preparing for a large-scale operation.

Israel’s military says it killed two Palestinian suspects. Israeli bulldozers demolished a three-storey building in Hebron, with families given five minutes to collect their belongings. The closure means nearly 1,000 checkpoints and gates across the West Bank will be closed, affecting millions of Palestinians.

Mustafa Barghouti, secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative, says incitement from far-right Israeli ministers is making the situation worse.

He says the closure turns every city and village into “a small prison”, with checkpoints and gates blocking healthcare, the economy and education, and warns that collective punishment “will lead to explosions”.

ℹ️ Content Notice: This text is an English translation and factual adaptation of news events, edited for clarity, neutrality and objective reporting.
Source of information: Global News Agencies including REUTERS / TASS / AFP / ANADOLU / INT.RU / Al Jazeera / CNN