Netanyahu orders West Bank lockdown after gunmen wound five Israelis

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an immediate lockdown of the occupied West Bank on Friday, 23 October, after Palestinian gunmen wounded five Israelis in a shootout near Hebron. The security escalation occurs just four days before Israel’s general election scheduled for Tuesday, 27 October. Shootout at Farsh al-Hawa Checkpoint Two Palestinian assailants armed with a handgun and an automatic rifle opened fire at the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint early on Friday morning. Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency medical service, reported that five Israelis in their 20s were wounded in the attack, including two in critical condition. Israeli soldiers at the scene returned fire, killing both attackers near a petrol station. Prime Minister Netanyahu, who cancelled all Likud party political meetings following the incident, claimed the gunmen carried a large quantity of ammunition and intended to carry out a larger assault. "I have instructed the IDF and security forces to impose an immediate cordon on the city of Hebron and to prepare for a full lockdown of all of Judea and Samaria starting today," Netanyahu said in a statement on Friday. Military Response and Political Fallout The Israeli military confirmed it has launched "offensive counter-terrorism operations" in the Hebron area, including house raids and large-scale arrests. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir responded by calling for the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority, though no evidence has linked…