IDF force disables bomb near Gaza border
Gaza Division spotted and disabled an explosive device on the Gazan side of the security fence that they believe was planted in the past few days or weeks.
There were no injuries or damages during the operation.
The event was a rare one to occur along the border with Gaza since the end of Operation Protective Edge about half a year ago. The explosive device planted to target soldiers was also an unusual find.
The IDF assesses that the explosive device was laid out in the last couple of days or recent weeks.
Ever since the explosive device was discovered in the area between the Gazan neighborhood of Sajaiyeh and the Israeli Kibbut Nahal Oz, a lookout was established to monitor the device.
After the device was disabled, it was taken for further examination.
The explosive device was set up on the Gaza "perimeter" – an area close to the security fence which Palestinians are prohibited from entering and moving about in.
This restriction is violated on an almost daily basis, even on the Israeli side, by shepherds who approach the fence.
On the Gazan side, Palestinian activists or Palestinians who attempt to cross the fence on purpose, in order to get caught and remain in Israeli prisons instead of in Gaza. In these cases, IDF soldiers shoot warning shots in order to distance those who come close to the fence.
For this reason the fence was expanded between Israel and Gaza – at certain points it was replaced with a new fence that is 8 meters taller, similar to the fence that was built on the border with the Egyptian Sinai.
The IDF has also identified movement by Hamas militants near the part of the fence bordering Kibbutz Nahal Oz. According to the IDF, some of the militants were spotted armed with Kalashnikovs, who attempt to keep order and distance away Palestinians who try to get close to the fence.
IDF prepares for surprise attack
"We are prepared for any scenario, from a sniper attack like the one two months ago to a terrorist attack from a cave that could involve several terrorists," an officer from the IDF's Gaza Division told Ynet."That's why we practice these scenarios often and do not let the relative calm mislead us. For us, the preparations are for an attack with no warning signs in advance," he continued.
The Gaza Division predicts that Hamas has rearmed itself since the summer war and has not stopped building new terror tunnels or the production of rockets of varying ranges. "We spotted Hamas training sessions in the strip – there they train their activists," added the IDF officer.
On a daily basis, the IDF officer can see, without binoculars, what the residents of Nahal Oz and Netiv HaAsara can see from their windows: Hamas is rebuilding itself once again with new fronts to replace those that were destroyed by the IDF during the past summer's ground offensive.
In the neighborhood of Sajaiyeh, close to the Israeli Kibbutz of Nahal Oz, Palestinian tractors built new defense infrastructure and military positions close to dozens of homes that were destroyed from tank shelling and IDF machine guns.
Unlike the end of Operation Pillar of Defense – Palestinians gained the expansion of fishery and agriculture at ease – this time the IDF believes that Hamas has nothing to lose in the absence of any achievement from Operation Protective Edge. Aid money is coming into the Strip at low percentages, thousands of homes have been left destroyed and rehabilitation remains in the hands of Israel, through the Kerem Shalom crossing that will likely lead to the next round of escalation.
