Israel Closes West Bank Crossings for Legislative Elections

OPA WIRE, Oct 25 (OPA) — The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced a comprehensive ban on the entry and exit of Palestinian workers across Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley, effective throughout election day. The military directive also restricts movement from Sunday through Monday, barring workers from entering these regions with limited exceptions for specific industrial zones.

This closure is part of an intensified security operation following the killing of two Israeli soldiers by Palestinian gunmen in Hebron earlier this week. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed he ordered the military to cordon off the city and implement additional security measures. The IDF stated these actions are intended to dismantle terrorist infrastructure and prevent further attacks.

Reports from the Palestinian News Agency (Wafa) indicate that more than 200 families have been displaced in Hebron over the past three days, with approximately 2,500 residents removed from the al-Jilda and Ain Deir Baha areas. Israeli forces also detained 20 individuals across the Hebron Governorate on Sunday. The military maintains that civilians were permitted to leave through screening points and denied that any residents were forcibly evacuated.

While the IDF asserts that demolished structures in the area posed security threats or were built illegally, the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem has condemned the operations. The organization described the actions as a campaign of forced displacement and destruction, calling on the international community to intervene to halt the military’s activities in the region.