Israeli Government Threatens New West Bank Offensive After Palestinian Forces Kill Two Soldiers

Israeli armed forces killed two Israeli soldiers on Friday in the West Bank, according to Israeli military reports. The attack occurred near Hebron in the South West Bank, where three additional soldiers were injured. Israeli authorities stated that Palestinian armed forces were involved in the incident before being shot by Israeli troops.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose right-wing coalition faces potential loss of majority in an upcoming election on October 27, visited the site of the attack. He warned of a large-scale offensive in the occupied West Bank, stating that the military would expel Palestinians from a neighborhood in Hebron, where the attackers were said to have been. Netanyahu compared this action to Israel’s 2025 military offensive against two Palestinian refugee camps, which resulted in the displacement of tens of thousands of Palestinians.

Human Rights Watch has labeled such expulsions as war crimes, a claim Israel rejects. Netanyahu declared, “We’re going to evacuate the residents, go from house to house, also seizing weapons there and destroying all the terrorist infrastructure.” Israeli bulldozers began tearing down houses near the attack site, according to a Reuters reporter. Residents claimed the houses targeted were not connected to the attackers. The Israeli military did not respond to a request for comment.

The violence escalates amid increased attacks by Israeli settlers and a general rise in violence in the West Bank since Hamas’ attacks in 2023. Militant settlers have intensified their attacks on Palestinians during the annual olive harvest, killing at least three Palestinians and injuring dozens more, including journalists, European diplomats, and a French mayor.

Palestinian armed forces have also carried out attacks on Israeli soldiers and civilians in recent months. In September, an armed man shot an Israeli near a settlement in the West Bank, with the alleged perpetrator later arrested. The Israeli government has expanded settlements, a move the United Nations and most countries consider illegal, which Israel denies.

The situation unfolds as Netanyahu’s government faces political uncertainty ahead of the October 27 election. Opinion polls suggest neither Netanyahu nor his main competitor, former Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, will secure a parliamentary majority. The escalating tensions reflect a broader pattern of violence and conflict in the region, with both sides accusing each other of escalating hostilities.

Source: Read the original report (translated from German)