i24News, on West Bank, 26 October 2026

9.4out of 10Severe

following West Bank

Tap a highlight to see why it matters.6 findings

Eight new outposts have begun to be established in the South Hebron Hills area, with the approval of the IDF and led by the South Hebron Regional Council and Minister Bezalel Smotrich. This comes after a terror attack at Yehuda Junction outside Hebron in which IDF soldiers Sergeant Major Ron Yonatan Roitman and Sergeant Yuval Shai Soilem were killed. As part of the decision, six farms have been established, and two more settlements are expected to be established.

Regarding the decision, Minister Smotrich said, "We are continuing the settlement revolution, which includes measures of 'depart from evil,' , and the fortification and strengthening of the settlements." West Bank violence: Clashes break out in Hebron as tensions spiral During the attack, three more IDF soldiers were wounded and evacuated to Hadassah Ein Kerem and Shaare Zedek hospitals in Jerusalem—their condition is mild.

The two terrorists by the deputy battalion commander of the "Ari" battalion and the company commander. on . Suggested articles Hebron siege: Palestinians evacuate amid fears of Gaza Scenario in the West Bank | i24NEWS Deadly shooting prompts West Bank closures days before Israeli election | i24NEWS Harvesting olives or headlines? Lander’s detention fuels West Bank dispute | Danna Avni A preliminary investigation indicates that the two terrorists are relatives from the Jaab family in Hebron, which is affiliated with Hamas.

The two, approximately 27 years old and from Hebron, were apparently on their way to carry out a major attack. They were traveling in a vehicle with a yellow license plate and encountered a routine military checkpoint manned by IDF soldiers. During the exchange of fire, which lasted about 20 minutes, soldiers were wounded until the command post from the 101st Battalion and the Home Front Command flanked and eliminated the terrorists. A large amount of ammunition was found in the back seat of the vehicle, with one of the terrorists holding a long rifle and another a pistol.

Simultaneously, the IDF is also examining the possibility that this was an attack directed from outside and notes that there was no specific warning regarding the brothers or the attack.

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What we found (6)

i24News reports eight new outposts in the South Hebron Hills without ever saying they are settlements on occupied land, which the ICJ has found illegal. It lets Smotrich call building he wants demolished 'illegal construction' and settlements 'communities and farms' with nothing against it. It writes the two Israeli soldiers as 'killed' but the two Palestinian gunmen as 'eliminated', and says a closure 'was imposed' without naming Israeli occupation forces.

  1. Hedges the documented record

    Severe

    “New settlement outposts have been established in Hebron Hills”

    Why this matters
    The headline reports new settlement outposts as a plain development, with no word that they sit in occupied territory or are illegal.
    The impression it gives
    A reader takes the outposts as lawful building in an ordinary place.
    The context
    The ICJ's July 2024 advisory opinion found Israel's occupation of the West Bank unlawful and its settlements illegal under international law. The article never says either.

    How we know

    • On the recordThe International Court of Justice's July 2024 advisory opinion found Israel's settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem illegal under international law.icj-cij.org (opens in a new tab)
    • On the recordThe International Court of Justice's July 2024 advisory opinion found Israel's occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem unlawful.icj-cij.org (opens in a new tab)
    • Checked against the whole articleIt never uses the words “occupied” and “international law”.

    Show it in the article

    Written straight

    Israel has begun setting up eight new settlement outposts in the occupied South Hebron Hills, approved by the army and led by Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The ICJ has found Israel's settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law.

  2. Writes the death out

    Severe

    “were eliminated”

    Why this matters
    The outlet uses 'eliminated' for the two Palestinians shot dead, where it writes that the Israeli soldiers 'were killed'.
    The impression it gives
    A reader registers the Palestinians' deaths as the removal of a problem, not as killings.
    The context
    The outlet's own live blog said soldiers killed both men. In the same article it uses 'killed' for the Israeli dead.

    How we know

    Show it in the article

    Written straight

    Soldiers shot dead the two men, according to the army.

  3. Gives a contested claim the last word

    Serious

    “mass demolition of illegal construction, alongside measures of 'do good,' approval of communities and farms”

    Why this matters
    The outlet quotes Smotrich calling Palestinian building 'illegal construction' to be demolished en masse and calling settlements 'communities and farms'. Nothing follows to test either claim.
    The impression it gives
    A reader takes Palestinian homes as the unlawful structures and the settlements as lawful communities.
    The context
    Under the ICJ's advisory opinion it is the settlements that are illegal under international law. The article gives no Palestinian voice and no legal context against the minister's words.

    How we know

    • On the recordThe International Court of Justice's July 2024 advisory opinion found Israel's settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem illegal under international law.icj-cij.org (opens in a new tab)

    Show it in the article

  4. Hides who did it

    Serious

    “A closure was imposed”

    Why this matters
    The passive 'was imposed' removes who sealed off the villages.
    The impression it gives
    A reader sees the closure as something that simply happened after the shooting.
    The context
    The outlet's own reports say the Israeli chief of staff approved a full closure of Hebron and that Israeli forces forced residents from their homes.

    How we know

    Show it in the article

    Written straight

    Israeli occupation forces sealed off Hebron and surrounding villages, on the chief of staff's orders.

  5. Drops what it reported before

    Minor

    “several villages in the area”

    Why this matters
    The outlet shrinks the response to a closure on 'several villages'.
    The impression it gives
    A reader believes the aftermath was a limited movement restriction.
    The context
    A day earlier i24News reported that about 1,500 Palestinians had been forced to flee their homes and that a third of Hebron was affected, which the governor called collective punishment.

    How we know

    Show it in the article

  6. Uses a loaded word

    Minor

    “terror attack”

    Why this matters
    The headline calls a shooting at soldiers a 'terror attack' in the outlet's own voice.
    The impression it gives
    A reader takes the outlet's verdict on the attack as plain description.
    The context
    The body describes an exchange of fire with soldiers at a military checkpoint. 'Terror' is a verdict carried in i24News's own voice, not attributed to anyone.

    How we know

    • Elsewhere in the article“encountered a routine military checkpoint manned by IDF soldiers”

    Show it in the article

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