An explosion tore through the Gaza-Israel border on Tuesday morning, injuring
three IDF soldiers.
The blast occurred as an IDF force was on a routine
patrol along the edge of central Gaza. Paramedics treated all of the injured
soldiers at the scene, two of whom suffered light injuries. The third soldier
with moderate injuries was evacuated to the Soroka University Medical Center in
Beersheba via helicopter .
Shortly after the bomb attack, terrorists from
the Gaza Strip fired a Kassam rocket into southern Israel.
The rocket
landed in the Eshkol region. There were no reports of damages or
injuries.
Last month, terrorists detonated an explosive on the
Gaza-Israel border, seriously injuring an IDF company commander, who later lost
a hand. The explosive was placed on a gate in the Kissufim region, near Kibbutz
Ein Hashlosha.
Earlier this week, the IDF appointed a new Gaza Division
commander on Sunday evening, naming Brig.-Gen.
Micky Edelstein as the new
military figure responsible for Israel’s most volatile border.
“The
Southern Command, [and] the Gaza Division, you are the commanders and combat
soldiers who are ready at any time... to protect the State of Israel’s southern
border and provide peace and quiet, support, and routine life as much as
possible to citizens,” OC Southern Command Maj.- Gen. Tal Russo said during the
ceremony.
“At this time, like every day of the year, our soldiers are on
standby on the border, standing against our enemies and against anyone who wants
to violate the security of the state,” Russo added.
The border
experiences frequent attacks by a host of Gazan terrorist factions, including
Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and smaller organizations.
The attacks take the
form of mortar fire, explosives, rocket fire and machine-gun attacks, as well as
attempts to cross the border into Israel.
Early on Monday, a Gazan man
who approached the border and ignored soldiers’ orders to stop was shot
dead.
Palestinian medical sources said the man suffered from a mental
condition.
Jerusalem Post staff contributed to this report.
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