IDF shoots, kills suspected terrorist in the South

20-year-old Beduin man allegedly breaks into home, stabs woman; due to proximity to Gaza, IDF worried incident was terror.

By BEN HARTMAN
IDF soldier on patrol along Gaza Strip 390 (photo credit: REUTERS/Amir Cohen)
IDF soldier on patrol along Gaza Strip 390
(photo credit: REUTERS/Amir Cohen)
IDF troops shot and killed a Gaza man after he broke into a house in the southern border community of Sde Avraham and stabbed a resident in her home.
The incident took place around 4 a.m. on Monday morning near the borders with the Gaza Strip and Egypt. Soldiers who responded to the call in the border area chased and shot the man, who died at the scene.
The army said soldiers made an attempt to arrest the man, but opened fire when he tried to attack them.
The IDF Spokesman’s Office said that while the IDF and the police are investigating the incident, they believe it is more likely that it was an attempted terror attack and not solely a botched robbery.
Still, they added that a simple theft has not been ruled out yet.
An army source said it appears the man entered the house armed with a knife with the intention of harming the woman, and was not in the middle of a burglary when surprised by the homeowners.
The army would not confirm if the man’s body had been returned to Gaza, or if he is known to be a member of any armed organization.
In addition, they said it was too early to tell how or when he managed to infiltrate Israel and would not confirm if a penetration of the Gaza security fence was registered on Monday morning.
Sde Avraham is located in Hevel Shalom. The area has been the site of infiltrations, shooting attacks and rocket and mortar strikes.