Army fears terror attacks near Egyptian border
Photo: Avi Rokach
IDF closes hiking trails near Egypt border
Defense officials decide to seal off tourist sites near Egyptian border due to Palestinian breach of Egypt border; on Thursday, the army closed down borderline highway
Hiking trails and tourist sites near the Egyptian border will be closed down as of Saturday night as a result of the Gaza border breach that saw Palestinian masses enter the Sinai, the IDF Spokesperson's Office said.
The decision to temporarily seal off the area was taken by defense officials in order to boost the level of security in the area and better protect Israeli citizens. The defense establishment is concerned that terrorists may have taken advantage of the Gaza border chaos to cross into Egypt.
On Thursday, the army sealed off Highway 10 along the border.
Terror Threat
Counter Terrorism Bureau warns of plans to abduct Israelis vacationing in Egypt
The army called on Israelis to refrain from arriving at the areas closed off as a result of the heightened security threat.
Sinai abductions feared
In addition to Thursday's road closure, the IDF adopted several other measures in order to boost the level of security along the border, military officials said.
Security officials from the various defense establishment branches have been consulting to assess the situation, while the IDF has maintained contacts with southern communities and has been guiding local residents in accordance with the assessments.
Also Thursday, the Counter-Terrorism Bureau called on Israelis currently in the Sinai to leave immediately for fear they could be abducted by terrorists and taken into the Gaza Strip.
