Two Israeli children were filmed crossing the Gaza border into the Jabaliya area on Thursday before being returned to the Israeli side of the border by IDF troops, Army Radio reported Friday afternoon.
The IDF released a statement on the incident, stressing that physical proximity to the border area is "dangerous and forbidden.
"The children crawled under the fence inside Israeli territory," the IDF further said, reaffirming that they never reached Gazan territory.
תקרית חמורה בגבול עזה: שני ילדים ישראלים חצו אתמול את גדר הגבול באזור ג'באליה, כוח צה"ל השיב אותם לשטח הארץ; צה"ל: "התקרבות מסוכנת ואסורה, הילדים זחלו מתחת לגדר בשטח ישראל, ולא עברו לשטח הרצועה"@Doron_Kadosh pic.twitter.com/UafBo2Yh9J
— גלצ (@GLZRadio) January 26, 2024
Gaza border protests intensify
The incident happened while dozens of civilians gathered on Thursday near the border fence with the Gaza Strip inside Israeli territory, in the area of Nabih Mar'i Lookout Point near Kibbutz Mefalsim (opposite Jabalia, in the north of the Gaza Strip).
Dozens of Israeli citizens who came to the area claimed to have come for "planting", although it's unclear what this refers to as that area is defined as a closed military area.
The small children managed to crawl under the gate of the fence, thanks to the small space between the gate and the ground.
"Approaching the border area with the Gaza Strip is dangerous and prohibited," said the IDF on the incident.
In the last week, there has been significant friction between IDF troops and civilians in the area surrounding Gaza, with more citizens coming to the area of the fence and like the protests in Kerem Shalom in an attempt to prevent aid trucks from entering.