Israeli officials announced sweeping punitive measures targeting the Palestinian city of Hebron and neighboring Halhul after gunmen killed two soldiers and injured three near a checkpoint. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a siege on the areas and pledged mass home demolitions and forced displacement of residents from neighborhoods where the attackers originated.
Demolitions began within hours of the incident. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich posted video documentation of a bulldozer destroying a Palestinian home near the shooting site, stating the action aimed to “create deterrence and exact a price.” The demolished structure had been built without permits, though authorities made no claim connecting its owners to the attackers. Israel’s high court issued a temporary order halting further demolitions after a human rights lawyer filed an urgent petition arguing the actions violated international law prohibiting collective punishment.
Defense Minister Israel Katz announced plans for additional mass demolitions and forced displacement, explicitly comparing the planned operation to actions taken in Gaza and the Jenin refugee camp, where nearly 20,000 residents were displaced. Netanyahu stated that plans for the largest military operation in the West Bank since 1967 had been prepared, though no date was specified. The announcements included pledges for expanded Israeli settlement construction in the territory.
The initial attack involved two gunmen armed with an assault rifle and handgun who opened fire after being stopped at a checkpoint, leading to a 20-minute firefight in which both were killed. The incident occurred amid heightened tensions during the annual olive harvest season, when settler violence against Palestinians has intensified. The timing coincided with upcoming national elections, with the current far-right coalition seeking to maintain political support.
Right-wing officials including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir traveled to the scene demanding dismantling of the Palestinian Authority and further restrictions on Palestinian movement. The incident also prompted unsubstantiated conspiracy theories from prominent Israelis targeting an international photographer who documented the attack, prompting statements from press freedom organizations defending his professional conduct.
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