"I think the enemy is worried," said IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz to paratroopers on the Gaza border, after a difficult day for the Israeli military in which 2nd Lt. Hadar Goldin was abducted and Givati Brigade recon company commander Maj. Benaya Sarel and Staff Sgt. Liel Gidoni were killed.
"I am happy to visit here again and see you in action," said Gantz to the soldiers. "At this moment, we must press on. The most severe problem the enemy faces is that you are in his territory, so he better be worried and I believe that he already is."
IDF Chief of Staff Gantz speaks to paratroopers (in Hebrew) (צילום: דובר צה"ל)
Encouraging the soldiers who have been battling inside Gaza, Gantz told them: "You are doing an excellent job and making us proud. Good luck in all your missions, I have no doubt your success will continue."
Engineering Corps soldiers searching Gaza tunnel (צילום: דובר צה"ל)
The security event which hit the IDF on Friday occurred around 9:30 am – more than an hour after the start of a UN-sponsored humanitarian ceasefire. According to a senior military source, one terrorist emerged from a tunnel in the southern Strip and detonated himself near an IDF force, at the same time it is likely that 2nd Lieut. Goldin was abducted.
IDF strike on a tunnel in Gaza (צילום: דובר צה"ל)
Following the event, the IDF launched an intelligence campaign to locate Goldin. At the same time the IDF began firing on the area; Palestinian sources reported dozens were killed by artillery fire in the area of Rafah.
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit also released a number of videos on Friday showing a number of operations. One clip shows paratroopers uncovering terror tunnels while another video shows engineering corps soldiers searching a tunnel.