Israel to close West Bank crossings on election day

Israel has announced it will close all land crossings with the West Bank on October 27, coinciding with the country's election day. The decision follows an attack at a checkpoint near a Palestinian city that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others.

In response to the killings, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have implemented a ban on the entry and exit of Palestinian workers throughout the West Bank and Jordan Valley, including industrial zones. Most Palestinian workers are also barred from entering Israeli settlements.

Military operations in Hebron have resulted in the displacement of approximately 2,000 residents. Defence Minister Israel Katz stated that displaced residents would not be permitted to return until military operations addressing Hamas-related issues in the city are complete. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to conduct operations on a scale not seen since the 1967 occupation of the West Bank.