Israel demolishes Hebron homes and displaces about 2,000 after soldiers killed

Two Israeli soldiers in their early 20s were killed on Friday in a shooting near a military checkpoint on the northern outskirts of Hebron in the occupied West Bank. Two Palestinian gunmen, one armed with a rifle and one with a handgun, leapt from a car at about 7.30am and opened fire. A 20-minute gun battle followed. Both gunmen were killed. Reports said three other Israeli soldiers were lightly wounded, while early emergency accounts said five people had been injured, two critically. The Israeli military said a large quantity of ammunition was found in the attackers' vehicle. Hamas did not claim responsibility but praised the attack and called it a natural response to crimes against Palestinians.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went to the scene in body armour and ordered the military to prepare a full closure of the occupied West Bank. He said troops would cordon off Hebron and Halhul, demolish buildings, evacuate residents, search house to house, remove weapons and destroy what he called terrorist infrastructure. He said Israel would use a model employed in refugee camps and would consider extending it to other cities. He also promised to accelerate the removal of illegal structures along roads and to build settlement infrastructure, including more than 100 new communities and farms. He said the operation would be on a scale not seen since the Six-Day War.

Israeli forces moved into Hebron over the weekend. They sealed off the area from which the gunmen came, bulldozed buildings, damaged roads and closed checkpoints. The mayor of Hebron said around 1,200 Palestinians were forced from their homes, a figure later reported as around 2,000. The defence minister said residents would not be allowed to return until troops had finished dealing with what he called the Hamas issues in the city. The mayor called the response disproportionate and collective punishment. The Palestinian Authority called for international action to prevent further displacement.

Reporting from Hebron described families who said they had minutes to leave. One family, the Imrashes, had their home demolished although there was no claim they were involved. A daughter was due to be married within a fortnight. Residents said they did not know which houses would be destroyed or where they should go. The army did not explain why that home was demolished, according to the report.

The attack came days before a general election in which security is central. Polls put Netanyahu's right-wing and religious bloc narrowly behind or neck and neck with the change bloc led by former army chief Gadi Eisenkot. Netanyahu has presented himself as the only leader who can protect Israel. He cancelled party campaign events and used the attack to promise a tough crackdown. Far-right ministers, including Itamar Ben-Gvir, called for permanent restrictions on Palestinian movement. Critics said the response was political and designed to boost support before the vote.

The shooting also came amid months of rising violence in the West Bank, including settler attacks on Palestinians during the olive harvest. One analyst cited UN figures showing settler attacks had risen by 240 per cent. Human rights groups warned that closures and demolitions would deepen restrictions that already divide the West Bank into enclaves, hurt the economy and disrupt access to medical care and education. Palestinians and international bodies have criticised settlement expansion as illegal under international law. Israel says its measures are needed for security.

The West Bank remains on high alert, with Palestinians bracing for further operations and Israelis preparing to vote under the shadow of the attack.