Shooting attack reported near Hebron
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Two Palestinian gunmen opened fire on an Israeli military checkpoint near Hebron, wounding at least five people.
Israel imposed a West Bank closure four days before its election.
Background
The attack struck a military checkpoint near Yehuda Junction on Route 35 in the occupied West Bank. Israel's emergency service Magen David Adom reported multiple casualties at around 7.15 a.m. local time, and Israeli forces killed both gunmen after a manhunt. It comes four days before Israel's October 27 election, the first since the Hamas-led attack of October 7, 2023, in a test for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has sought to present himself as a security hardliner.
How it unfolded
- Oct 23, 2026Two Palestinian gunmen opened fire on an Israeli military checkpoint near Yehuda Junction on Route 35 near Hebron, wounding at least five people, two critically.
- Oct 23, 2026Magen David Adom said it received a report around 7.15 a.m. local time of multiple casualties; gunfire was ongoing as responders arrived.
- Oct 23, 2026Both gunmen were shot and killed by Israeli forces after a manhunt; the IDF said it found a vehicle used by the gunmen filled with a large quantity of ammunition.
- Oct 23, 2026The IDF imposed a full siege on Hebron and set up roadblocks and closures in Palestinian towns in the area.
- Oct 23, 2026Netanyahu said he ordered the IDF to prepare for a full closure of the West Bank starting today; it was unclear when it would begin or how long it would last.
- Oct 23, 2026Police opened an investigation and determined the attack was nationalistically motivated.
- Oct 27, 2026Israel is scheduled to hold elections, four days after the attack.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Netanyahu said he ordered the IDF to prepare a full West Bank closure and that Israel will pursue Hamas fighters and those who sent them wherever they are.
- Official
- IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir called it a serious terror attack and said the fighters' rapid action prevented worse harm, with the ammunition in the car intended for an attack on a much larger scale.
- Party
- Hamas praised the attack in a statement but did not claim responsibility.
- Rival
- Netanyahu's main rival Gadi Eisenkot said he prays, with all the people of Israel, for the full and speedy recovery of the wounded.
- Public
- A medic from the Hebron area described active shooting lasting more than 20 minutes and said responders could not evacuate the wounded.
Still unverified
It was not immediately clear whether any of the victims were soldiers or civilians, and the identities of the two gunmen killed were not immediately clear. Channel 14 said the shooting targeted a military tower near the Telem settlement, while Walla News reported, citing a source, that it targeted a reserve battalion of the Israeli Home Front. Medics said six Israelis were wounded, two critically, while other accounts said at least five.