JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Five Israelis were wounded, two critically, in a terrorist shooting attack near Hebron in Judea and Samaria on Friday morning. IDF soldiers eliminated the two terrorists following a prolonged gun battle that lasted more than 20 minutes.

According to an initial investigation, the terrorists arrived at Yehuda Junction on Route 35 near Hevron in a vehicle bearing Israeli license plates and opened fire near an IDF position. Soldiers from the Home Front Command’s Ari Battalion engaged the terrorists and eliminated them following a brief pursuit, preventing further casualties.

Large numbers of troops were deployed to the area, with roadblocks established and military closures imposed on several Palestinian villages and the city of Hebron.

Emergency responder Ofer Ohana documented the continuing gunfire as medical teams struggled to reach the wounded. “The terrorist keeps shooting. There are ongoing exchanges of fire between the terrorist and our forces. We can’t get the wounded out!” he shouted. “There’s been active gunfire for more than 20 minutes!”

Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency medic Tzuriel Edri described arriving while the shooting was still underway. “We arrived at a difficult scene while shooting was still taking place,” Edri said. “We entered with a bulletproof ambulance and immediately began helping evacuate the wounded.”

He described treating an unconscious man in his twenties suffering from severe gunshot wounds. Another critically wounded victim received treatment from IDF medical personnel.

The wounded were transported to Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek and Hadassah Ein Kerem hospitals. Shaare Zedek reported receiving two conscious, stable patients in moderate condition, while Hadassah confirmed receiving a lightly wounded patient.

Following the attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an immediate closure of Hebron and preparations for broader restrictions across Judea and Samaria until after the elections, according to the Associated Press. Netanyahu also convened an emergency security meeting amid concerns about further terrorist attacks ahead of Israel’s October 27 parliamentary elections. 

During the security assessment, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir revealed alarming details about the terrorists’ planned attack. “This was a serious terrorist attack. The soldiers’ swift response prevented an even more devastating attack and additional casualties among civilians and security forces,” Zamir said.

The chief of staff emphasized that “a large quantity of ammunition was discovered in the vehicle used by the terrorists to reach the scene, indicating that they had intended to carry out an attack on a much larger scale.”

According to assessments presented during the meeting, the two terrorists had departed Hebron carrying substantial quantities of ammunition, intending to carry out a major terrorist attack. The terrorists were armed with an M4 automatic rifle and a handgun. Security forces also discovered a large ammunition container inside their vehicle, containing numerous additional rounds of ammunition.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir warned that the attack demonstrated the growing danger of terrorism in Judea and Samaria. “We must not wait for an October 7 in Judea and Samaria,” Ben-Gvir declared, calling for the Palestinian Authority to be dismantled and disarmed.

Israel Gantz, chairman of the Yesha Council and head of the Binyamin Regional Council, similarly warned of a worsening security situation.

According to figures cited by Gantz, 197 terrorist incidents and attacks have occurred in Judea and Samaria over the past 30 days, including stone-throwing, vehicle-ramming attacks and assaults on Jewish shepherds. “This is not a lone terrorist or an isolated attack, but a growing, widespread threat that could end in a major disaster,” Gantz warned.

The attack comes amid heightened security tensions in Judea and Samaria, just days before Israelis head to the polls in a closely watched national election.