Army nabs unarmed Gazan man who snuck into Israel

An unarmed Palestinian was arrested by Israeli troops after crossing the border from the Gaza Strip early Thursday morning, the military said.

The Israel Defense Forces said the suspect, who crossed the security barrier in the northern part of Gaza, was taken to the Shin Bet security agency for questioning.

The IDF said the suspect was spotted by soldiers monitoring surveillance cameras, and troops dispatched to the scene detained him close to the security barrier.

The IDF did not elaborate on how the suspect managed to cross the barrier.

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip frequently attempt to illegally enter Israeli territory, often with hopes of fleeing the beleaguered enclave. Often they are caught before managing to cross Israel’s high-tech series of fences and walls guarding the frontier with Gaza, both above and below ground.

Also in the Gaza Strip on Thursday morning, terrorists test-fired a rocket toward the Mediterranean Sea, according to Palestinian media reports.

عاجل| مراسل شهاب: الانفجار الذي سُمع في مدينة غزة ناجم عن إجراء المقاومة تجربة صاروخية جديدة تجاه البحر. pic.twitter.com/67QGu5kf3B

— وكالة شهاب للأنباء (@ShehabAgency) April 27, 2023

An image published by Palestinian media outlets showed a trail and a small cloud of smoke in the sky, indicating the rocket exploded in mid-air.

Palestinian terror groups frequently test-fire rockets toward the sea, in order to improve range and accuracy.

Meanwhile in the West Bank before dawn, IDF troops detained five wanted Palestinians.

The military said four terror suspects were arrested in Kharbatha Bani Harith and the nearby Kafr Ni’ma, and the fifth was detained in Kharbatha al-Misbah, all in the central West Bank.

There were no reports of clashes amid the raids.