Approximately 20 suspects, including several who were armed, on Monday evening arrived from Egyptian territory toward the area of the border with Israel, adjacent to the Nitzana opening.
IDF soldiers who operated in the area opened fire toward the armed individuals, and hits were identified.
An IDF soldier was moderately injured during the exchanges of fire. She was evacuated to a hospital to receive medical treatment, where her condition improved and she is now listed in moderate condition. Her family has been informed.
It is believed the suspects arrived at the border with the goal of smuggling drugs into Israeli territory.
Last June, an Egyptian officer entered Israeli territory through one of the openings in the border fence and murdered three soldiers, Ori Yitzhak Illouz, Lia Bin-Nun, and Ohad Dahan.
In the past year, the IDF thwarted a number of drug smuggling along the border area and arrested a number of suspects who tried to smuggle drugs worth millions of shekels.