IDF beefs up troops along Gaza border in anticipation of violent riots

The Israel Defense Forces sent additional troops to the Gaza border ahead of protests organized by Hamas for tomorrow, with plans to deploy them differently, following violent clashes along the frontier over the weekend, in which an Israeli soldier was shot in the head at point-blank range and dozens of Palestinians were injured, the military says.

The initial findings of the IDF’s investigation into Saturday’s border violence identified a number of failures in the way the military responded to the riots, which allowed dozens of people to rush the border, including a man with a pistol who fired into an Israeli sniper post, hitting the soldier in the head.

Though the full probe is still underway, the military plans to alter its strategies on the border, sending additional soldiers to the area and updating its rules of engagement to ensure that protesters would not be able to approach the security fence again. These changes were approved today by the head of the IDF Southern Command, Maj. Gen. Eliezer Toledano, following a situational assessment.

“In recent days, troops have been preparing massively, as specific plans were being approved, drills were performed at different points and reviews were held in the field. IDF troops will act aggressively against attempts at terror along the border,” the military says in a statement.

Two special forces units, a tank company and a number of snipers were deployed to the Gaza border area, ahead of the protests that Palestinian terror groups said they plan to hold tomorrow.