The two men succeeded in damaging the border fence before IDF soldiers arrived and responded with live fire.
By SAMUEL THROPEUpdated: JUNE 4, 2018 16:11Axe seized at Gaza border, June 4, 2018(photo credit: ISRAEL POLICE)
The IDF killed a Palestinian man armed with an axe during his and a second Palestinian's attempt to breach the Gaza border fence Monday, the IDF Spokesperson's unit said in a statement.The two men succeeded in damaging the border fence before IDF soldiers arrived and responded with live fire, the statement said.There was no immediate comment from Palestinian officials.The incident comes after weeks of Palestinian protests in Gaza, designated the "Great March of Return," during which demonstrators have thrown stones and Molotov cocktails at troops, and tried to breach the border fence. More than 100 Palestinians have been killed and thousands injured by the IDF.Hamas and other terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip have launched dozens of rockets and incendiary kites, which have sparked fires throughout the Gaza border region, into Israeli territory. In response, the IDF has struck multiple Hamas targets in Gaza over the past several weeks.Further large protests are expected this coming Friday to mark "Naksa Day," the annual commemoration of the Arab armies' defeat in the 1967 Six Day War on June 5.Reuters contributed to this report.
