Shooting near Hebron

Israeli soldiers on Friday morning shot and killed two men who, according to the military, had launched a terror attack near the city of Hebron. Emergency services said five people were injured and evacuated to hospitals, some critically.

The army said its soldiers had stopped a terror attack aimed at Israeli civilians, and that the two gunmen were carrying an M16 rifle and a handgun. It did not say who or what the alleged target was, and the identities of the dead and the injured have not been released.

Emergency responders describe the scene

Responders said the attack took place near the Yehuda Junction in the morning, and that gunfire was still ongoing when they arrived. Two men in their 20s had gunshot wounds to their lower limbs, one of them unconscious and seriously injured, and the injured were evacuated to hospitals in Israel.

Tzuriel Edri of the response team said: "We arrived at a difficult scene while shooting was still taking place in the area."

Army cordons Hebron, sets up roadblocks

Netanyahu's office instructed security forces to immediately cordon off Hebron and to prepare to fully close the West Bank starting Friday. The military also took measures around the area:

• •Roadblocks were set up in Palestinian towns in the area
• •Closures were placed in those towns after the shooting
• •Hebron itself was placed under an immediate cordon

The army gave no further details on the target of the alleged attack or on who the dead and injured were.

Political reactions days before the election

The shooting comes days before Israeli voters decide next Tuesday whether to grant Netanyahu another term as prime minister, three years after the Hamas-led attacks on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza. Israel's government had warned of potential attacks by the country's "enemies" in the lead-up to the election.

Far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said the Hebron attack showed Israel must limit how freely Palestinians can move in the West Bank. In his words, the lives of residents, settlers, soldiers, police officers and fighters matter "a million times more important than freedom of movement."

Ahead of the October 7 anniversary, Netanyahu had said Hamas could attack Israel in a bid to influence the election outcome, without providing evidence. Authorities said an investigation into the attack was under way.