Israel prepares full West Bank closure after shooting kills two soldiers

Israel’s defence ministry ordered the army on Tuesday to prepare for a full closure of the occupied West Bank after a gun‑fire incident near Hebron killed two Israeli soldiers. The shooting, which took place on a checkpoint road outside the city, prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to issue the directive, signalling the most sweeping movement restriction since the 2005 disengagement from Gaza. The order comes as the Israeli military mobilises additional troops to the area and begins drafting plans for checkpoints, roadblocks and a curfew that could affect all civilian traffic.

The move follows a long‑standing pattern of security‑driven closures that Israel has used to curb attacks by Palestinian militants. Since the 2023 escalation in Gaza, the West Bank has seen a rise in settler‑related violence and a surge in attacks on Israeli forces, prompting calls from right‑wing parties for harsher measures. Hebron, a flashpoint town with a large settler presence and frequent clashes, has been a focus of Israeli operations for years. The latest killing of two soldiers adds pressure on the government, which faces criticism from opposition lawmakers for being “soft” on terrorism, while also risking international condemnation for imposing a blanket restriction on a territory of 3 million Palestinians.

Military officials said the closure plan would involve sealing the main north‑south arteries, deploying additional patrols, and imposing a 24‑hour curfew on major population centres. The Palestinian Authority condemned the decision as collective punishment and warned of a humanitarian crisis, citing concerns over access to medical care, work, and education. The United States and the European Union called for restraint, urging Israel to limit any restrictions to what is strictly necessary for security. The army is expected to finalize the closure schedule within the next 48 hours, with implementation likely to begin by the end of the week, raising questions about how the move will affect already strained Israeli‑Palestinian relations and the daily lives of West Bank residents.