Israel Launches Crackdown in West Bank After Deadly Attack
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Israel Launches Crackdown in West Bank After Deadly Attack
The military demolished buildings and erected roadblocks in Hebron, the biggest city in the territory, a day after Palestinian gunmen killed two soldiers.
The Israeli military said it had launched a sweeping crackdown in the West Bank city of Hebron overnight after Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers there and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to retaliate days before a pivotal election.
Residents of Hebron, the largest Palestinian city in the Israeli-occupied territory, said on Saturday that Israeli troops had erected roadblocks and closed the main entrances and exits to the city.
Israeli forces have started demolishing structures close to the scene of the attack, the military said, adding that the operation in the area would last for several days. Residents would be allowed to leave through designated checkpoints. An Israeli military spokesman did not respond to a request for comment on whether they would be allowed to return home.
The worsening violence in the West Bank came days before an important Israeli election, the first since the Hamas-led attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, that ignited the devastating war in Gaza. Mr. Netanyahu is fighting for his political life and has trailed his leading opponent, Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief, in opinion polls throughout the campaign.
On Friday, two Palestinians opened fire on Israeli troops near a checkpoint in Hebron, killing two soldiers before being shot dead, according to the Israeli military. Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, the Israeli military chief of staff, said in a statement that the soldiers had prevented “an even more serious attack.” The military said a large cache of ammunition was found in a vehicle used by the attackers.
Mr. Netanyahu visited the scene of the attacks on Friday and vowed a broad crackdown in the West Bank, including by imposing a security cordon around Hebron and a lockdown of the territory. Israeli forces would also search the homes of residents, he added.
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