Palestinians: IDF troops, Hamas gunmen exchange fire

By AP, JPOST STAFF
IDF troops and Hamas gunmen exchanged fire on Saturday on the border between Gaza and Israel, Palestinians said. According to the army, its forces conducted an operation near the border in which troops detonated two explosive devices which were found near the security fence in the area. They denied, however, that an exchange of fire took place. Palestinians reported that an exchange of fire did indeed occur, but that there were no reports of casualties. The incident was the latest flare-up to test a five-month-old Egyptian-mediated truce between Israel and Gaza factions. The truce was shaken earlier this week after the IDF destroyed a tunnel dug for the purpose of kidnapping soldiers and infiltrating Jewish settlements close to the eastern border of the Gaza Strip. The ensuing clashes left seven Palestinian gunmen dead and six IDF soldiers wounded.