The Israeli military continued a massive operation in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, imposing significant restrictions on movement ahead of Israel’s upcoming elections. The operation, which comes in response to a gun attack that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others in Hebron on Friday, has displaced hundreds of Palestinians over the past two days. In Hebron, more than 2,200 people, including almost 200 children under 18, have been displaced, the municipality said. Since Friday’s attack, all entrances and exits to the city have remained sealed, with the epicenter of the operation in Deir Bahha and another part of the city called Al-Jalda, according to Hebron Mayor Yousef Zuhair Al-Jabari. “People cannot reach or enter the city, and they cannot leave it. The blockade has affected all aspects of life,” Al-Jabari said. Israeli military operations continue as Israeli soldiers attack numerous homes and prevent members of the press from covering the operations in Hebron, West Bank, Palestine, on October 25, 2026. Mamoun Wazwaz/Anadolu via Getty Images The Israeli military said it operated in more than 400 different locations over the weekend and arrested 40 Palestinians who it claimed were affiliated with Hamas or Jihad Islamic Palestine. Additionally, the Israeli military said that most Palestinian workers with permits will not be allowed to enter Israel. Settlements for work on Sunday and Monday, and crossings into Israel will remain closed until after the Israeli elections on Tuesday. The election is largely seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership and security policies during the past three years of war. Six Israelis have been killed this year in attacks in the West Bank, which is experiencing a rise in violence. During the same period, 112 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Ramallah-based Palestinian Health Ministry. Friday’s attack sparked outrage in Israel, and Netanyahu and three members of his right-wing government gave statements from the scene of the attack on Friday afternoon, vowing to respond forcefully. “We warned a few weeks ago about our enemies’ attempts to harm us, our citizens and our soldiers before the elections,” Netanyahu said. “We will act to destroy this place.” Netanyahu, who is running for re-election in next week’s election and has been endorsed by President Trump, is under pressure to stage a strong show of force against the Palestinian attackers to bolster his image with security-conscious Israelis. About 3 million Palestinians and 540,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank, which Israel occupied in the 1967 Middle East war. Hebron is one of its most tense cities and the only place where Jewish settlers live in the heart of a densely populated Palestinian area under Israeli military protection. Crisis in the Middle East Go Deeper with The Free Press In:
