Israeli forces shot dead two Palestinians in the occupied West Bank on Friday after accusing them of attempting an attack near Hebron, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to order security forces to seal off the city and prepare for a territory-wide closure.

At least five other people were injured in the incident, some of them critically, according to reports.

The Israeli military said it had thwarted what it described as a “terror attack against Israeli civilians”. The two Palestinians, both from Hebron, were carrying an M16 rifle and a handgun, the military said, without specifying the intended target.

Netanyahu’s office later announced that security forces had been instructed to immediately cordon off Hebron and prepare for a complete closure of the West Bank beginning Friday.

The incident comes ahead of Israel’s parliamentary election scheduled for Tuesday, which will determine whether Netanyahu secures another term as prime minister. The vote is taking place three years after the Hamas-led attacks on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza.

Israeli authorities have warned of possible attacks by the country’s “enemies” ahead of the election.

Following the shooting, Netanyahu convened an emergency meeting of his Security Cabinet and senior military and security officials. He alleged that Hamas was planning a major attack aimed at killing civilians but provided no details of the alleged plot.

“Our brave soldiers thwarted this attack with courage and determination,” Netanyahu said, praising the forces involved and wishing the wounded a speedy recovery. He did not clarify whether those injured were soldiers or civilians.

Earlier on Friday, Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for restrictions on Palestinian movement in the West Bank following the incident.

“The lives of the residents of Judea and Samaria, of the settlers, the lives of the soldiers, the lives of the police officers, the lives of our fighters are a million times more important than freedom of movement,” he said, using Israel’s term for the West Bank.

Ahead of the anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack, Netanyahu had also accused the Palestinian militant group of potentially seeking to carry out an attack to influence the Israeli election outcome, without presenting evidence to support the claim.