Here is what you need to know about the deadly shooting at a West Bank checkpoint on Friday. Two Palestinian gunmen opened fire on an Israeli military post at the entrance to Hebron. The BBC reported five Israelis wounded, two critically; CNN reported two soldiers killed and three wounded. Both attackers were shot dead. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a siege of Hebron and preparations for a full West Bank closure starting Friday. The attack comes four days before Israel’s general election, the first since October 7, 2023.
The Israeli military said a large ammunition cache was found in the attackers’ vehicle, suggesting a larger planned assault on Route 35. Verified footage showed a minutes-long exchange of gunfire. Netanyahu cancelled his party’s Friday campaign events. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich ordered demolitions near the site. The West Bank, with its 900-plus checkpoints and barriers, now faces days of closures and raids.
The election factor
With four days until the vote, every development is filtered through the campaign. Netanyahu’s security credentials are his strongest asset, and his response, swift lockdown orders and cancelled campaign events, is designed to project control. Challengers will argue that true security requires addressing the conflict’s roots, not just its symptoms. Voters will decide which story they believe.
Why it matters
Election-eve attacks reshape campaigns. Security dominates the final days, favouring candidates seen as strong on defence. The olive-harvest season has already been violent, with settler attacks on Palestinians adding fuel. A full West Bank lockdown would be a massive operation affecting millions of Palestinians’ daily movement.
The bigger picture: the first wartime-adjacent election since 2023 was already tense. This attack guarantees security will be the closing argument. For the full story, see our earlier digest of the week’s top international stories and business desk’s market wrap. CNN’s full report has the latest.
For voters, the choice is stark. Netanyahu is campaigning as the indispensable guardian of security; his challengers argue that true security requires a political horizon, not just military control. Friday’s attack will be invoked by both sides in the closing days, and its political aftershocks may outlast the lockdown itself.
