Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Friday, October 23, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Friday, October 23, 2026
2 soldiers killed in shooting attack at West Bank checkpoint this morning, IDF says
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
Staff Sgt. Ron Yonatan Roytman (left) and Sgt. Yuval Shai Svilem (right), killed in a shooting attack near Hebron in the West Bank on October 23, 2026. (Israel Defense Forces)
Two soldiers were killed in this morning’s shooting attack at a checkpoint near the West Bank city of Hebron, the military announces.
The slain soldiers are named as Staff Sgt. Ron Yonatan Roytman, 23, from Ashkelon; and Sgt. Yuval Shai Svilem, 20, from Hod Hasharon.
They both served in the 775th “Ari” Battalion of the Home Front Command’s Search and Rescue Brigade. Roytman was a squad commander.
Three other soldiers of the battalion were injured in the shooting, in light and moderate conditions.
The two Palestinian gunmen were shot dead at the scene following a 20-minute gunfight with Israeli soldiers.
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