IDF raises security alert in South citing Hamas threat

Hamas was planning terror activity near Egypt-Israel border in attempts to derail Palestinian Authority's UN state bid, army officials say.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
tal russo IDF egypt border 311 (photo credit: IDF)
tal russo IDF egypt border 311
(photo credit: IDF)
The IDF on Friday announced that forces on the Israel-Egypt border had been placed on high alert after threats were received that Hamas was planning terror activity in the area, the IDF spokesman's office stated.
According to army officials, Hamas operatives sought to undermine the the Palestinian Authority's UN statehood bid by carrying out an attack, Israeli media reported.
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The IDF beefed up its security forces along the Egyptian border after a terror cell managed to infiltrate into Israel last month and carry out multiple attacks against civilians and IDF soldiers, killing eight people.
Hamas has come out publicly against the statehood bid, saying that the Palestinian Authority cannot act unilateraly.
Hamas spokesman Dr. Sammi Abu Zuhri on Friday criticized Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's UN address where the PA president announced he had submitted the official application for full membership.
Zuhri called the speech "emotional and lacking legitimacy," Hamas-affiliated newspaper Al Resalah reported. Zuhri said that while Abbas's speech reflected the situation of the Palestinians and their suffering, he failed to tie that suffering to the United Nation's insistence on renewing peace talks between the Palestinians and and Israelis.
Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said Friday that the "liberation" of Palestinian land must come before the Palestinian state.