IDF soldiers killed three Gaza terrorists late Tuesday afternoon while they were in the process of trying to plant a bomb along the security barrier near the Jewish community of Netiv Ha'Asara.
The soldiers, members of the elite 101st Battalion of the Paratroopers Brigade, were sent out to stop the terrorists after they were spotted from an IDF outpost.
The soldiers crossed into Gaza in order to engage the operatives, who hurled a grenade at them and then ignited a bomb. Neither action distracted the IDF battalion, which proceeded to open fire at the terror cell, killing all three members. None of the Israeli soldiers were injured in the exchange.
The soldiers scanned the area following the skirmish to ensure there were no other terrorists hiding nearby.
Abbas: 'PA Will Not Agree to Israel Invading Gaza'
While Gaza terrorists were violating the most recent 'ceasefire' with Israel arranged by Egypt, Palestinian Authority Chairman and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas was in Cairo on Tuesday to meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Abbas told reporters while in Cairo that conflict with Israel through launching rockets from Gaza "was and still is inefficient." He also said that the PA "will not agree to Israel invading the Gaza Strip, or its planes bombarding it."
Despite the fact that Hamas has spurned all advances by Abbas to reunite the two factions, the PA chairman said he would try again to form a unity government. There is "no escape from renewing dialogue, despite the fact that Hamas boycotts it," he said. "Our attempts have failed once, but still they should be continued until successful, because this is in the Palestinians' interest."
International funding to the PA was frozen after Hamas won a landslide victory at the polls in January 2006 due to the group's unwillingness to recognize the State of Israel, renounce terrorism and uphold previously negotiated agreements.
Money to the cash-strapped PA only began flowing once more after the two factions split following the fierce militia war that ended when Hamas seized control of Gaza in June 2007. Western nations instead funneled their funds to Fatah, considered "moderate," which was left in control of PA-controlled territories of Judea and Samaria.