IDF arrests armed Gaza man who crossed into Israel
Palestinian carrying knife, grenade caught by troops who monitored him as he set out from northern Strip
Judah Ari Gross is The Times of Israel's religions and Diaspora affairs correspondent.
A Palestinian man from Gaza armed with a knife and a grenade was arrested Friday morning, shortly after crossing into Israel from the northern Strip, the Israel Defense Forces said.
He had already entered Israel by the time he was detained by IDF troops, but had been under surveillance throughout the infiltration.
The man was handed over to the Shin Bet domestic security service for questioning.
This is the second time in less than a week that a Palestinian has been detained entering Israel from Gaza.
On Saturday evening an unarmed man was reportedly detained just north of the border fence in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council, and was taken in for questioning by the IDF.
Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) recently warned Palestinians that the IDF would not hesitate to use lethal force against anyone attempting to cross into Israeli territory from the Strip.
“Those who try to enter the Israeli area are risking their lives,” Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai told the Palestinian news agency Maan.
He said that Israel holds the Hamas terror group, which controls the Strip, responsible for any potential uptick in violence near the Gaza border.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
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