IDF forces killed two armed terrorists who approached a security fence in southern Gaza before dawn Friday. The terrorists intended to plant bombs, which were to be detonated as IDF troops passed through on patrol.
A desert patrol identified the two in southern Gaza, near Kerem Shalom. The patrol commander immediately crossed the fence and opened fire. The terrorists returned fire. The two terrorists were subsequently killed. The IDF troops were unharmed.
The terrorists were wearing bulletproof vests. They were heavily armed with grenades and AK-47 submachine guns. Lying near their bodies were explosive devices, which the terrorists apparently wanted to plant on a path nearby.
The IDF states that the fact that the terrorists were found a few feet away from the fence indicates their intentions to plant explosive devices as close as possible to the IDF troops, in order to harm them while patrolling.
The attempted infiltration was the first reported this month. In April, an IDF patrol spotted and apprehended a cell of Arabs that approached the Gaza security fence in southern Gaza. The suspects were carrying knives in their bags and were subsequently interrogated. It is forbidden for Arabs to walk near the security fence, and anyone spotted there is treated as a suspected infiltrator.
On Tuesday evening, Israel Air Force (IAF) jets attacked targets throughout Gaza after a woman was lightly injured from a rocket explosion in Sderot. During the attack, the IAF succeeded in hitting two weapons factories and four smuggling tunnels, used by Hamas terrorists to restock their supply of armaments.