IDF shot Hamas militant after he ran towards barrier; Hamas vows revenge; IDF confirms it is investigating event; 18th cross-border tunnel discovered on Gaza border this week; Netanyahu: we are preparing for the offensive side, and the campaign is not only going to be broad but also surprising…
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) shot and killed a Hamas militant in the Gaza Strip on Thursday after he approached the border barrier with Israel, Hamas is vowing retaliation.
According to sources from Palestinian media, Mahmoud Ahmad Sabri al-Adham, 28, was attempting to stop two youths from nearing the border and ran after them outside of Beit Hanoun. IDF forces saw the armed militant and shot him. The IDF Spokespersons Unit later released a statement, “Israel Defense Forces troops arrived at the scene and identified the Hamas member as an armed terrorist. They carried out a shooting that stemmed from a misunderstanding. The incident will be investigated.”
There has been relative calm on the border with the Gaza Strip over the past month, with lower instances of terror, like rocket attacks and arson attacks, given the current Egyptian-brokered ceasefire. Despite the calm, the IDF located an additional cross-border terror tunnel from the Gaza Strip during the construction of its underground smart fence. The IDF is investigating the tunnel believed to have been constructed before 2014 and Operation Protective Edge. It is the 18th tunnel from Gaza discovered to date.
During a meeting with local officials in Ashkelon in southern Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted at an offensive campaign to prevent terror on Israel’s south. While he did not go into detail, he stated Thursday afternoon, “I prefer that there be calm, not that we are under the illusion that we can reach a political agreement with those who want to wipe the State of Israel off the face of the earth.” He reported that “we are preparing for the offensive side and the campaign is not only going to be broad, but also surprising… I want a result in the end that would make sure this city and other communities in the south will continue to develop and prosper and that there will be a feeling and a reality of security.”
