Gazan arrested after infiltrating into Israel with improvised explosive device
Another Palestinian armed with a knife detained earlier after crossing border fence, amid heightened tension with coastal enclave
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A Palestinian was arrested Thursday after infiltrating into Israel from the Gaza Strip with an improvised explosive device on his person, the Israel Defense Forces said.
A similar incident occurred hours earlier, when the military said another Gazan crossed the border fence armed with a knife and was apprehended by soldiers who spotted him near the border fence.
In both cases, troops conducted a search and discovered the weapons, after which both suspects were taken for questioning, the army said.
The border breaches came amid a period of heightened tensions in the region of the coastal enclave.
Last Friday, two Palestinians, carrying a knife and a hand grenade, infiltrated into Israel from northern Gaza, prompting a large-scale call-up of security personnel in the area before they were eventually arrested.
Palestinians have been holding weekly border riots as part of what they call the “March of Return” since March 30, 2018.
Israel maintains that the demonstrations are orchestrated by Hamas, which vocally supports them, sends free buses to the border and provides food and internet to participants — as well as money for those injured in them — in order to provide a cover for the organization’s nefarious activities along the security fence, including infiltration attempts, the planting of explosives and attacks on Israeli soldiers.
Judah Ari Gross and AFP contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.