Tunnels
Photo: IDF Spokesperson
Blowing up tunnels
Photo: Reuters
IDF exposes tunnel near Gaza
Palestinian plans to carry out terror attack in Karni crossing area foiled by IDF troops
The Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet foiled a terror attack in the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday, the army said Wednesday.
Troops located and destroyed a tunnel in the Sajjaiyeh area of northern Gaza which was dug in the direction of the Karni crossing where terrorists had planned to carry out an attack.
The tunnel's pit was found in a building situated 1.3 kilometers from the border.
Troops were impressed by the width and depth of the tunnel, which was estimated to have been dug weeks ago.
The army said the tunnel was dug in the direction of the Karni crossing where terror groups had planned to attack Israeli soldiers and civilians operating the crossing. The Shin Bet didn't rule out the possibility that the tunnel was to serve terrorist intent on kidnapping soldiers or civilians in the Karni area.
The Shin Bet supplied the IDF with pinpoint intelligence that led troops to the building in which the tunnel was concealed.
Brigade 71 of the Armored Corps, in which Corporal Gilad Shalit served before his kidnap, took part in the operation to locate and destroy the tunnel.
Shalit was kidnapped on June 25 in cross-border attack near the Gaza Strip.
Israel stepped up operation against terror groups in the Gaza Strip since Shalit's kidnap. The army said over 13 gunmen were killed over the last couple of days in operation in the Sajjaiyeh area.
The Karni crossing was shut down on August 16 following terror warnings. Alternative crossing points were used to transport merchandise in and out of the Gaza Strip.
Official said 240 calves were transported into Gaza through the Sufa crossing and hundreds more cattle animals are expected to reach Gaza over the next few weeks in anticipation of the Ramadan holiday.
