Mentally ill man crosses into Gaza; returns unharmed
Resident of Bedouin village of Hura jumps over fence near northern Strip, returned to Israel after MKs ask leaders in Strip to ensure his release
A young Bedouin man crossed the border fence from Israel into the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday afternoon by jumping over the fence. The man, a resident of the village of Hura, is said to be mentally ill and has already tried to reach Gaza, Egypt and Jordan in the past.
The man was returned unharmed to Israel. His return was facilitated by the intervention of various figures including Knesset members, who asked leaders in the Strip to ensure his release, noting that he is mentally ill.
MK Talab El-Sana (United Arab List-Ta'al) said that he had spoken to the personal aide of Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh to request his assistance in obtaining the release. El-Sana added that the young Bedouin's return "proves Hamas' responsible behavior."
IDF patrol on Gaza border (Archive photo: Avi Roccah)
The Israel Defense Forces said soldiers were dispatched to the area the moment the unusual incident was spotted near the fence. Military sources stressed that the IDF's mission was to prevent infiltration from the Strip and thwart terror attacks.
A similar incident ended tragically about two months ago, when Yakir Ben Melech, a mentally ill Tel Aviv resident, was shot to death while climbing the border fence near the Erez crossing in a bid to enter the Strip, after he failed to respond to IDF warning shots.
His relatives estimated that he had tried to get to Gaza in order to release kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit from Hamas captivity. They said that several months before the incidents, he had traveled to the north and told his family members he planned to enter Lebanon and meet with Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah.
Roni Sofer and Sharon Roffe-Ofir contributed to this report
