IDF officers claim that soldiers in the Rimal neighborhood of the Gaza Strip, risked their lives to extract around 200 million shekels intended for the Palestinian Authority, according to Saar Pelsner, editor of the "Ben Caspit and Yinon Magal" program, in an interview with 103FM on Sunday.
According to army officials, the incident took place during an attack on the area of the Rimal neighborhood in Gaza City when the forces arrived at the building of the "Palestine" bank following the detection of sniper fire from the direction of the bank.
The sources with whom Pelsner spoke stated that the IDF soldiers worked to retrieve the money intended for the PA's bank accounts and, according to them, "had to take certain risks to do so," but they didn't clarify which.
The story raises many questions, among them: Why should IDF soldiers endanger themselves in an operation aimed at extracting money, especially money meant for the Palestinian Authority?
Additionally, according to evidence that reached the system, the soldiers themselves loaded the money onto Brinks vehicles at the time of the operation. This means that at the time of the operation, there was no immediate threat of the money being misplaced.
The IDF commented on the event, saying it was well-known and necessary
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit commented on the event, saying, "Last week, IDF forces operated at the 'Palestine Bank' in Gaza City to prevent the procurement of funds by Hamas and their use for terrorist purposes. The building where the bank was located was attacked in the past following a shooting carried out at IDF soldiers from the bank."
"The activity was carried out in accordance with directives of the government, and the manner of holding the money and ensuring its transfer to the correct location are at the government's discretion," the IDF said.