Palestinian fire wounds IDF troops on Gaza border

Officer and soldier lightly hurt by shots fired from central Gaza; Shin Bet uncovers terrorist cells operating in Hebron area.

By YAAKOV KATZ
IDF soldier, tank outside northern Gaza 370 (photo credit: Reuters)
IDF soldier, tank outside northern Gaza 370
(photo credit: Reuters)
Two soldiers were wounded along the border with the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, in some of the worst violence the area has seen in weeks.
The IDF said that the soldiers were part of a patrol along the border when shots were fired hitting both an officer and a soldier. They were evacuated to a hospital where they were treated for mild injuries. Vice Premier Shaul Mofaz said that the escalation was a “localized issue,” but added that the IDF must be ready for all developments on the Gaza front.
Also on Wednesday, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) revealed that it has uncovered a number of Palestinian terrorist cells operating in the Hebron area and planning a series of attacks, including the kidnapping of a resident of Kiryat Arba.
The Shin Bet said that one of the cells, affiliated with Izzadin Kassam, Hamas’s military wing, was led by two 21 year olds from Hebron, one of whom – Mahmoud Dwek, was jailed before in Israel for expressing a desire to serve as a suicide bomber.
The cell planted a number of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) along the security fence surrounding Kiryat Arba.
The cell planned to infiltrate the settlement and abduct a resident or, failing that, murder one. The cell members also admitted to throwing several Molotov cocktails at other settlements in the area.
Another two Palestinians – both 26 years old – from the Bethlehem area were apprehended and found responsible for an IED attack against an Israeli car near the West Bank village of Yata.
The Shin Bet said that the bomb was highly sophisticated and was detonated with a mobile phone. The explosive device was hidden inside a fire extinguisher.