Israel Launches West Bank Crackdown After Soldier Killings — SkimNews
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- Israel launched a multi-day military operation in the occupied West Bank on October 23, involving house-to-house searches and building demolitions in Hebron following the killing of two soldiers.
- Benjamin Netanyahu visited the attack site and ordered a lockdown, vowing a large-scale IDF operation in the West Bank 'such as has not been carried out since' the 1967 war.
- Hamas praised the attack as a 'heroic operation' without claiming responsibility, calling on supporters to carry out further actions against Israeli forces.
- Bezalel Smotrich called for a West Bank military offensive 'exactly like in Gaza', advocating collective retaliation against Palestinian communities.
- Itamar Ben Gvir demanded the dismantling of the Palestinian Authority, accusing it of inciting violence despite no evidence linking it to the attack.
- Israeli military and Shin Bet stated operations were underway at dozens of locations to dismantle 'terrorist infrastructure' in the Hebron area, with forces evacuating residents and destroying structures.
- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voiced concern over Israeli closures affecting Palestinian livelihoods and called for an end to violence on all sides.
Why it matters: The timing of a sweeping military response just days before elections elevates security as a decisive campaign issue, empowering Netanyahu and far-right allies to push for aggressive policies in the West Bank despite international warnings of collective punishment and potential war crimes.
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