Judah Ari Gross is The Times of Israel's religions and Diaspora affairs correspondent.
Illustrative: Israeli forces next to the security fence on the border between Israel and southern Gaza Strip. (Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90)
A Shin Bet officer died while on a mission just outside the Gaza Strip on Tuesday night, the security service announced Wednesday.
The Shin Bet would not provide additional information about what led to the officer’s death, saying only that “the circumstances of the incident are being investigated.”
According to Israeli media reports, the incident appeared to have involved friendly fire, either an accidental weapons discharge or a case of mistaken identity.
The officer was identified as 29-year-old Amir Maimoni by the Shin Bet on Wednesday afternoon. He was from Zohar, a small community in southern Israel near Kiryat Gat.
Shin Bet officer Amir Maimoni, 29, died during an operation outside the Gaza Strip on March 8, 2016, though the cause of his death was not immediately revealed. (Shin Bet)
The officer’s family was notified of his death. His funeral will be held Wednesday afternoon, the Shin Bet said.
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Palestinian sources said one man was injured, but the army claimed its soldiers only fired their weapons in the air.
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