The police announced on Sunday evening that the man who was shot to death in the Tze'elim area was shot during a Border Police operation to prevent drug smuggling.
During the operation, a smuggling operation involving Egyptian and Israeli smugglers was identified. The smugglers opened fire toward the forces, and an exchange of fire erupted between the forces and the smugglers on the Egyptian side of the border. The exchange of fire apparently killed one of the Israeli smugglers.