IDF property torched
Footage showing Palestinian saboteurs lighting an IDF aerial work platform on fire on Wednesday, as well as an IDF guard station at Karni crossing near the Israel-Gaza Strip bordered, was broatcast by the Qatari-owned Al Jazeera network.
The IDF made it clear that the Palestinians did not cross the security fence into Israel, as the Karni crossing—a cargo terminal under Israeli control that was shut down in 2011—is on the Gaza side of the border.
The military added that the while the aerial work platform suffered damage from the arson, it remains operational. The guard tower has not been used since the crossing was closed.
Footage showing IDF property being set aflame
In retaliation, IDF tanks fired at two observation posts belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the northern Gaza Strip. The IDF stated that they consider any attempt to sabotage and damage the border fence and security infrastructure with very serious.
The IDF sees Hamas as responsible for any attack against Israel coming from the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by the Sunni terror group.
There have been several incidents near the Gaza border recently of Palestinians either attempting to damage and destroy IDF property or plant explosive charges near the fence to hurt and kill Israeli troops. Each time, the IDF retaliated by destroying targets in Gaza belonging to either Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the two major terror groups in the strip.
On Saturday, four Palestinians entered Israel from the Gaza Strip near Kibbutz Kissufim and attempted to torch heavy engineering equipment used for the construction of the underground anti-tunnel barrier. An IDF force approached them and the four fled back into the strip. There were no casualties and only minor damage was caused to the heavy equipment.
Two weeks ago, two explosive devices were detonated in the early hours of the morning on the Gaza border fence. No one was hurt in the incident, which took place on the northern border of the coastal enclave.
In February, two soldiers were seriously wounded and two others moderately and lightly wounded when an explosive device was set off near an IDF patrol on the border in the southern Gaza Strip, opposite the Ein HaShlosha kibbutz.