Hebron Closure: Netanyahu Locks Down Judea and Samaria

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an immediate closure of Hebron and a lockdown of Judea and Samaria beginning Friday. The order followed a shooting attack at Yehuda Junction that wounded five people. Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir to keep the cordon on Hebron and the closure across Judea and Samaria in place at least until after Israel's Oct. 27 election.

The IDF Spokesperson said troops are surrounding Hebron and additional villages and entering the homes of suspected terrorists to prevent further attacks. The military also closed Highway 35 in both directions.

"I have instructed the IDF and security forces to immediately impose a closure on the city of Hebron and prepare for a full lockdown of all of Judea and Samaria, beginning today," Netanyahu said. He added that forces were carrying out extensive waves of arrests. "We will pursue Hamas terrorists and those who send them, wherever they are and at any time. You have nowhere to hide."

The attack took place Friday morning at the junction southeast of Hebron. Ynet reported that two gunmen drove up in a car with yellow license plates, got out and opened fire with a handgun and an M16 rifle. According to Magen David Adom, Israel's emergency medical service, two victims were critically wounded, two moderately and one lightly. JNS described two of the wounded as seriously hurt. As JFeed reported, the shooting took place on Route 35 near the Tarqumiya checkpoint.

The deputy commander and a company commander of the Home Front Command's Ari Battalion rushed to the scene and killed both attackers. The two were 27-year-old Hebron residents. Army Radio identified them as Hamouda and Firas Jua'ba, from the same family, each married with two children. Kan 11 reported that one was believed to be affiliated with Hamas.

Ofer Ohana, a local medical professional, filmed the gunfight. "There's been active gunfire for more than 20 minutes!" he shouted, warning that the wounded could not be evacuated. Walla reported that the gunmen apparently targeted a reservists' battalion and likely used the weather to approach the checkpoint unnoticed.

Palestinian footage: the firefight on the ground (Photo: social media)

"We arrived at a difficult scene while gunfire was still ongoing," said MDA emergency medical technician Tzuriel Edri. Medics used a bullet-resistant ambulance to reach the victims. One of them, a man in his 20s, was unconscious with gunshot wounds and in extremely serious condition. The wounded were taken to Shaare Zedek and Hadassah Ein Kerem hospitals in Jerusalem.

Zamir held a situation assessment at the scene with the heads of Central Command, the Operations Directorate and Military Intelligence. "A large quantity of ammunition was found in the vehicle used by the terrorists to reach the scene. It was intended for a larger-scale attack," he said. He approved intensified arrests and intelligence work, and ordered preparations for further reinforcements to Central Command.

The army was already on its highest alert level ahead of the vote. Leave across all units was suspended from Thursday. On Oct. 13, Katz warned that Iran and its proxies were attempting attacks aimed at influencing the election. Netanyahu canceled Likud events scheduled for Friday morning.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for the Palestinian Authority to be dismantled. "We must not wait for an October 7 in Judea and Samaria," he said. At the scene, he urged that the cordons stay in place: "As long as there's terror, they should not be able to live as normal."

Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman rejected the policy of containment. "Terror is eliminated, not contained!" he said. Ofer Winter, chairman of the People of Israel party, said cordons and demolitions were not enough.

Searches in the area are continuing.