Erez crossing (archives)
Photo: AFP
Security forces locate Palestinian who snuck into Israel
Unarmed Gazan who slipped off a bus transporting patients to Egypt recaptured in Nazareth
A Palestinian man crossed into Israel on Thursday morning after jumping off a bus transporting patients from the Gaza Strip to Egypt. The man slipped off the bus between the Erez crossing and the Kerem Shalom crossing and fled into Israel.
He was captured soon afterwards in the northern city of Nazareth.
Police reported that the man was to be taken in for questioning by security forces
The bus was carrying 17 Palestinians in need of medical treatment. The patients underwent a security check at the Erez crossing, and the bus was allowed to continue towards the Kerem Shalom crossing after Israeli soldiers made sure that the passengers were unarmed.
Shortly afterwards, the Palestinian jumped out of the window and escaped. Army and police forces began searching the area, but decided to let the bus continue to Egypt as planned.
According to estimates, the man attempted to enter Israel for work purposes. Defense establishment officials believe that he was not planning to carry out a terror attack, as no weapons were found in his belongings during the security check.
In the past, Palestinians have taken advantage of Israel's humanitarian aid to Palestinian patients in order to carry out terror attacks.
