The Israeli military continued a large-scale operation in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, October 25, 2026, and announced the closure of all land crossings into Israel during the national elections on Tuesday. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that Palestinian workers will be barred from entering most Israeli settlements on Sunday and Monday, with all land crossings shuttered on election day.
The military actions follow a shooting on Friday, October 23, 2026, at a checkpoint in Hebron that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others. The two Palestinian gunmen were also killed. In response, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his government visited the attack site and vowed to respond with force. The Israeli military reported that it has since operated in more than 400 locations and arrested 40 individuals it claimed were affiliated with Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
In Hebron, the municipality reported that more than 2,200 people, including nearly 200 children, have been displaced as the military cordoned off the city. Hebron Mayor Yousef Zuhair Al-Jabari said that all entrances and exits to the city remain sealed, preventing residents from leaving or entering. Israeli forces have demolished homes and businesses, a practice critics described as collective punishment.
The timing of the operation, occurring just days before the October 27 election, has drawn criticism from local officials who claim the measures are intended to influence voters. According to the Ramallah-based Palestinian Health Ministry, 112 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank this year, while six Israelis have been killed in attacks in the territory during the same period. The scale of the current displacement in Hebron, which Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz placed at about 2,000 residents, occurs during a period of high political sensitivity.
What happens next: The ban on Palestinian workers entering most settlements is effective through Monday, October 26, while the full closure of all land crossings into Israel will take place on Tuesday, October 27, to coincide with the national election. Voters will decide between Netanyahu and opposition figures including former military chief Gadi Eisenkot. The Palestinian Authority has not yet officially responded to Netanyahu's Saturday statement threatening a "very big surprise" for the body.