<p>Families forced to flee as Netanyahu tries to prove security credentials after two Israeli soldiers killed days before election</p><p>Hebron, the biggest city in the West Bank, had paid little attention to Israel’s looming elections until it found itself suddenly in the midst of them, a proving ground for Benjamin Netanyahu’s security credentials in the run-up to Tuesday’s vote.</p><p>A <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/24/israel-soldiers-raze-west-bank-neighbourhood-hebron-families-from-homes">gun attack on an Israeli military checkpoint</a> on Friday in which two soldiers were killed brought immediate televised visits from Netanyahu and his finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, whose ruling coalition is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2026/oct/25/thousands-rally-against-netanyahu-in-tel-aviv-ahead-of-israeli-elections-video">narrowly trailing</a> with two days of campaigning left.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/26/collective-punishment-palestinians-displaced-israeli-forces-take-over-hebron-homes">Continue reading...</a>