IDF forces continue to operate deep in the Gaza Strip this morning (Sunday) as Israel enters the 30th day of the war against the Hamas terrorist organization.
Overnight, two terrorists attempted to infiltrate into Israel near Kibbutz Kissufim in the northwestern Negev, The infiltrators were spotted and eliminated by security forces before they could breach the Gaza border fence.
Prior to the infiltration attempt, terrorists in the Gaza Strip fired an anti-tank missile at IDF forces in the same area. There were no casualties among the security forces, which returned fire.
Lieutenant Colonel Avichay Adraee, the head of the Arabic Division of the IDF Spokesperson's Unit, commented on his X (formerly Twitter) account on the Hamas attack on Saturday on IDF forces who were opening the Salah Al-Din humanitarian corridor for Gazan civilians to flee the fighting.
"Today, Hamas fired mortar and anti-tank shells towards our forces, which were keeping open the road from the north of the Gaza Strip to its south so that you could protect yourselves. Hamas members carried out this because they wanted you to remain human shields for themselves and their leaders," Adraee wrote to the residents of the Gaza Strip.
"The IDF will allow traffic on the Salah Al-Din road between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. If you care about yourself and your loved ones, head south according to our directions. Rest assured that the leaders of Hamas are already taking care of protecting themselves," Adraee wrote.
Hamas exploited the humanitarian window between 1 pm and 4 pm that the IDF provided to residents of Gaza to allow them to move southwards: During the humanitarian window, the terrorists fired mortars and anti-tank missiles at IDF troops who arrived and operated to open the route.
"This incident further proves that Hamas exploits the Gazan population and prevents them from acting in the interest of their own safety," the IDF said in a statement.