Israel Orders West Bank Closure After Shooting

Source reports published 23 Oct 2026, 6:05 pm – 24 Oct 2026, 3:11 am AEST

Following a gun battle in the West Bank that resulted in the deaths of two soldiers and two gunmen, Israel ordered a full closure of the West Bank, including preparations for a major offensive and the demolition of buildings.

What happened

• Israeli forces engaged in a gun battle with two suspected Palestinian gunmen near Hebron in the West Bank on Friday morning.
• Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman, 23, and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem, 20, were killed, along with the two gunmen, identified as Mohammad Jaaba and Firas Jaaba, both 27-year-old residents of Hebron.
• The attack occurred at a temporary military checkpoint at the entrance to Hebron.
• The Israeli army reported preventing a "terror attack against Israeli civilians" and that the gunmen arrived armed with an M16 rifle and a handgun.
• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a cordon off Hebron and prepared for a full closure of the West Bank.
• Bezalel Smotrich called for a military campaign in the West Bank, "exactly like in Gaza," while Netanyahu vowed a major offensive.
• The IDF subsequently launched counterterrorism operations in the Hebron area and implemented road closures and roadblocks in nearby Palestinian towns.

Original reporting

• PBS NewsHour: Israeli military says 2 soldiers were killed in the West Bank attack that also left 2 gunmen dead
  2026-10-23T15:06:27+00:00
• Deutsche Welle: Israel orders home demolitions after soldiers killed in West Bank
  2026-10-23T08:25:25.303000+00:00
• New York Times World: Palestinian Gunmen Open Fire on Israelis in the West Bank, Officials Say
  2026-10-23T17:11:13+00:00
• Fox News World: Two suspected gunmen dead, two IDF soldiers killed in West Bank shooting
  2026-10-23T08:05:06+00:00
• GB News: Israel orders army to prepare full closure of West Bank as tensions soar after shooting
  2026-10-23T08:22:13+00:00
• South China Morning Post: Netanyahu orders West Bank closure after attack on Israelis ends in gun battle
  2026-10-23T08:29:22+00:00