Three Palestinians were killed and another arrested in two separate incidents along the Gaza border on Sunday night.
According to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit the men had attempted to infiltrate into Israel in the areas of Holit and Kissufim when they were engaged by IDF troops after they threw Molotov cocktails towards the fence.
There were no injuries on the Israeli side.
Earlier on Sunday, a Hamas member was arrested by IDF troops after trying to infiltrate into Israel from Gaza at the Karni crossing on Sunday, the IDF said.According to a statement released by the army, the suspect was caught damaging the fence and trying to break through it under the cover of fog. He was transferred to security forces for questioning.“This is another terror activity, through which the terrorist organization Hamas seeks to penetrate Israeli territory and harm its citizens,” read a statement from the IDF Spokespersons Unit.“This is part of the mobilization led by the Hamas terrorist organization in which it tries to equate its terrorist efforts with a civilian cover and turn the fence into a combat zone,” it said. “The IDF is determined to act and fulfill its obligation to protect the citizens of Israel and not to allow harm to the security infrastructures that protect them.”Thousands of Gazans have been demonstrating on the border fence with Israel each Friday over the past five weeks ahead of “Nakba Day,” or “Day of Catastrophe,” on May 15 and the army believes that Hamas uses these weekly demonstrations as a cover to carry out terror attacks.On Friday, the IDF said that it had thwarted an attempted infiltration at the old Karni crossing in north-eastern Gaza by “hundreds of rioters” who tried to burn the fence and enter into Israel. The crowd, it said, had thrown explosive devices, firebombs and rocks leading troops to open fire “in accordance with the rules of engagement” to stop the rioters.While the security establishment does not believe Hamas is seeking another conflict, the situation is fragile, especially given the worsening conditions in the Strip.During the demonstrations, protesters burned tires, threw Molotov cocktails and flew kites with burning rags dangling from their tails in a new tactic aimed at setting Israeli fields on fire.Later on Sunday, a fire broke out at the Kissufim forest in the Eshkol Regional Council after an incendiary kite launched from Gaza landed there. Firefighters were at the scene to combat the blaze.