Israel Radio reported that the IDF killed two Palestinians who tried to infiltrate Israel from the Gaza strip on Friday near Kibbutz Nirim. IDF scouts discovered the attempt to enter Israel and alerted units who were sent to the area.
The military spokesman's office confirmed an exchange of fire on Friday between gunmen and soldiers near Israel's Kissufim crossing with Gaza. Gaza security officials confirmed two militants had been sent on an operation to attack Israel and clashed with soldiers near the Israel-Gaza border. Other Gazan sources later tried to claim that the two were teenagers attempting to cross the border to look for work, however the IDF reported that the two had Kalashnikov rifles and bullet proof vests with five bulletcases.
No IDF casualties were sustained although there was an exchange of mortar fire that continued on Friday afternoon. IDF helicopters also searched the area for possible other infiltrations and residents in nearby communities were put under security alert in case there might be more attempts to cross the fence.
An IDF scout was moderately wounded by terrorist snipers on Friday night in the same area while on a routine patrol of Givati Infantry forces. He sustained a bullet wound in each shoulder and was flown to Soroka hospital by helicopter for treatment of his injuries..
Prior to the infiltration, on Friday morning, the IDF attacked two tunnels opposite the villages of Hiz'a and Absa'an in the same area that were intended to enable terrorist infiltration into Israel. A third, in northern Gaza near Beit Hanun, was attacked as well.