Two armed Palestinians cross border from Gaza into Israel
Two men threw an inactive grenade that did not explode towards troops who arrived at the scene after the suspects crossed the fence from the Hamas-run coastal enclave.
By ANNA AHRONHEIMAn Israeli military vehicle is seen at the Israel-Gaza border fence in the southern Gaza Strip, February 28, 2020(photo credit: REUTERS/IBRAHEEM ABU MUSTAFA)
Two armed Palestinians were arrested by soldiers after they infiltrated into Israel from the northern Gaza Strip on Thursday.The two men threw a grenade that did not explode toward troops who arrived at the scene after the suspects crossed the fence from the Hamas-run coastal enclave.The soldiers who arrived at the scene responded by firing and arresting the two suspects, who were armed with a knife, wire cutter and another inactive grenade. There were no casualties.The suspects were questioned before they were detained.The infiltration took place several hours after an unarmed Palestinian infiltrated into Israel and was detained by soldiers.In early September, soldiers thwarted a possible terrorist attack after an armed Palestinian infiltrated into southern Israel near Kibbutz Ein Hashlosha, which is located near Khan Yunis in southern Gaza.Troops who arrived at the scene detained the man near the fence and found a suspected explosive device and knife nearby. The explosive device was inspected by sappers, and the man was taken for further questioning.Due to the pressure caused by the coronavirus pandemic, tensions rose in southern Israel over the summer with hundreds of incendiary and explosive balloons launched from Gaza and more than 100 retaliatory airstrikes by Israel against Hamas.A ceasefire mediated by Qatar reportedly included a pledge to carry out several infrastructure projects in Gaza, increasing the Qatari cash grant to thousands of Palestinian families, reopening all the border crossings with Israel and expanding the fishing zone.In addition, there would also be an increase in fuel supply to the power plant in the Gaza Strip to solve the electricity crisis there. Other reports quoted sources close to Hamas as claiming that the understandings also require Israel to facilitate the entry of medical supplies and medicine into the Gaza Strip in the aftermath of the increase in the number of coronavirus cases.
Like Israel, Gaza is dealing with a renewed coronavirus outbreak.Though the blockaded enclave was able to keep the number of cases to single digits during the first wave, 2,911 cases and 21 deaths have now been reported.
