Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a lockdown across the West Bank following an attack in which two Israeli soldiers were killed and others injured. The incident occurred on Sunday morning near the Farsh al-Hawa checkpoint close to Hebron.

According to Israeli officials, two Palestinian militants, armed with a handgun and an automatic rifle, engaged in a firefight with Israeli forces at approximately 7:30 a.m. The attackers, identified as Mohammad Jaaba and Firas Jaaba, both 27-year-old residents of Hebron, were killed in the exchange.

The two Israeli soldiers who lost their lives were named Staff Sergeant Ron Yonatan Roytman, 23, and Sergeant Yuval Shai Svilem, 20. Additional Israeli personnel sustained injuries during the confrontation, though the extent of their wounds was not immediately disclosed.

Prime Minister Netanyahu attributed the attack to Hamas, warning that Israeli troops had acted to prevent a larger assault. “I salute the courage of our soldiers,” he said, reaffirming the government’s commitment to security amid increasing regional tensions ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for Tuesday.

Hamas expressed mourning for the deaths of the two militants, though the group did not formally claim responsibility for the attack.

The Israeli government’s decision to impose a lockdown in the West Bank aims to prevent further violence and enhance control over movements in the area during this period of heightened security alert. The incident has added to concerns about stability in the days leading up to the national vote.