Israel orders ‘full lockdown’ of occupied West Bank after military kills 2 accused of attack

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a “full lockdown” of the occupied West Bank on Friday after Israel’s military said it killed two Palestinians accused of launching a shooting attack that injured five people near the city of Hebron.

The deadly incident comes just days before a crucial election that will decide whether Netanyahu can hold on to power.

There has been a recent surge in Israeli settler violence and military activity in the West Bank centered on the start of the olive harvesting season, with Palestinians, activists and American journalists among those attacked and detained.

Netanyahu’s office said it instructed the Israel Defense Forces to “impose a closure” on Hebron and to prepare for a “full lockdown” across the entire West Bank starting Friday. It gave no further details on the planned closure of the territory.

In comments following an emergency meeting with his security cabinet and top military and security officials, Netanyahu blamed Hamas for the shooting and said the militant group was “planning a major attack aimed at murdering innocent civilians.”

He cited “large quantities of weapons and ammunition discovered,” but did not provide further details on the attack. He did not say whether the injured included soldiers…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/world