Soldier lightly wounded in explosion at Gaza fence
Remote-controlled device detonated by IDF patrol near Kibbutz Kisufim in third Gaza border incident this week
A Golani soldier was lightly wounded Thursday morning when an explosive device was detonated by the Gaza Strip security fence near Kibbutz Kisufim. The soldier received medical assistance at the site and then taken to Soroka University Medical Center in Beersheba.
The incident occurred as IDF forces patrolled the eastern side of the fence. The device was apparently detonated by remote control. After the explosion, soldiers scoured the area and found another device which had not exploded.
IDF sources noted that the threat of such devices in the Gaza Strip was common.
"IDF forces operate on the premise that there may be such devices near the fence," an army official said.
In January 2009, an IDF soldier was killed by an explosive device located near the spot where Thursday's incident occurred. Since then, dozens of devices have been discovered.
"Terror organizations are motivated to harm soldiers, and one of the ways of doing this is by using explosive devices, some of them very powerful, weighing dozens of kilos," the IDF source said.
Hamas may not be involved in these attacks, but the IDF says other organizations, some of which do not accept Hamas' authority, still try to raise tensions in the Strip.
This is the third ground-based incident to take place near the Strip this week, but the first incident for a long time in which soldiers were hurt.
On Friday, IDF forces fired on a group of Palestinians who were setting up an explosive device at the fence. At first, Palestinian sources reported that two or three had been killed, but later reports said that none had been killed.
The day before, the Air Force fired at a Palestinian group near the Karni crossing at the center of the Gaza Strip, after forces patrolling the area came under fire.
Meanwhile, terror organizations in the Strip continue to arm. Egyptian security forces reported Wednesday that they had intercepted 3.5 tons of TNT destined to be smuggled into Gaza.
