Suspicion: Palestinians tried to infiltrate Israel with booby-trapped vehicle
IDF soldiers identify bulldozer suspiciously approaching security fence in north Gaza, open fire at and hit man who stepped out of the vehicle and attempted to flee the scene
As Israel's Gaza-vicinity communities were hit with dozens of mortars and rockets, Palestinian terrorists reportedly attempted to infiltrate the country with an explosives-laden vehicle.
IDF soldiers identified a bulldozer approaching the security fence in northern Gaza at an alarming speed, not far from the Israeli community of Netiv Ha'asara. At some point the bulldozer came to a halt about and a man was seen stepping out of it and fleeing the scene. The troops proceeded to open fire and hit the man. No injuries were reported among the soldiers, and an investigation has been launched into the incident.
Army officials said that Gaza gunmen were planning to use the heavy mortar and rocket fire on the western Negev as a diversion in order to carry out a massive attack at the border fence.
Israeli forces positioned along the Gaza-Israel border have recently received warnings of a possible terror attack with the use of a camouflaged vehicle, similar to the one launched on Passover eve at the Kerem Shalom crossing. In that attack, 13 soldiers were injured when two car bombs were detonated at the terminal, located near the segment of the security fence that separates Israel from the southern Strip.
It was estimated that the terrorists also planned to kidnap soldiers back to Gaza.
Three weeks ago a truck filled with four tons of explosives was detonated at the Erez crossing in north Gaza in an apparent suicide attack. There were no injuries among the soldiers manning the terminal, and one of the Palestinian gunmen was killed in the blast.
Islamic Jihad's Al-Quds Brigades and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades claimed responsibility for the attempted terror attack.
