Israeli premier orders ‘closure’ of Hebron, ‘full lockdown’ of occupied West Bank

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday ordered an “immediate closure” of the city of Hebron and instructed security forces to prepare for a “full lockdown” across the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports.

The move followed a shooting that wounded five Israeli occupiers and the killing of two Palestinians by Israeli army fire near the town of Halhul in the Hebron district of the southern West Bank.

“I instructed the Israeli army and security agencies to impose an immediate closure on Hebron and prepare for a comprehensive lockdown across Judea and Samaria (the West Bank), starting today (Friday),” he said in a statement.

Netanyahu said he had held a security assessment with senior defense and security officials, including the military chief of staff and the heads of Shin Bet and National Security Council.

KAN reported that military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir had approved a security cordon around Hebron and nearby villages following the reported shooting.

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On the ground, eyewitnesses told Anadolu that Israeli forces had closed all entrances to Hebron with iron gates, placing the city under siege.

The Israeli army blocked entrances to towns and residential communities with earth mounds and military checkpoints, preventing movement between them.

The witnesses added that Israeli forces raided the outskirts of Hebron and several nearby towns, searched shops and seized surveillance camera footage.

The developments come ahead of Israel’s Oct. 27 legislative elections.

The West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, has witnessed an escalation in Israeli military operations and occupier violence since Israel launched its genocidal war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023.

The attacks have included the killing and arrest of Palestinians, the demolition of homes and other structures, the burning of mosques and vehicles, the destruction of agricultural land, preventing farmers from accessing their fields, and the displacement of Palestinian communities, alongside illegal settlement expansion.

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