Footage seems to corroborate Hamas claim that IDF troops fell into ambush.
By JPOST.COM STAFFhamas video 311(photo credit: Courtesy)
Hamas released video footage on Wednesday of the clashes last week inthe Gaza Strip during which two IDF troops were killed, including adeputy battalion commander, raising the possibility that the attack waspart of a well-planned ambush by the Palestinian terrorist group.Posted on a Palestinian Web site, the video shows the IDF soldiers, ledby Maj. Eliraz Peretz, deputy commander of the Golani Brigade’s 12thBattalion, enter into the southern Gaza Strip and begin moving towardsa number of Palestinians who were planting bombs along the border fence.Hamas claimed that one of its operatives filmed the clashes. The videoshows the clashes and then a number of tanks entering Gaza to assist inevacuating the wounded.Click here to watch videoIn addition to Peretz, St.-Sgt. Ilan Sviatkovsky was also killed in the firefight with the gunmen.Peretz, who led the force, was killed after a bullet hit a grenade he was carrying and it exploded. Two other soldiers were wounded in that incident.Sviatkovsky was then also shot and killed. Both of the Palestinian gunmen were killed.The IDF had said that the incident was not an ambush and that thesoldiers operated in accordance with military procedure by enteringGaza after spotting the terrorists planting the bombs, instead ofwaiting for air support or for tanks to arrive and shoot at the cellfrom a distance.The fact that Hamas had stationed operatives to film the incident mayindicate that the cell was actually there to draw IDF troops into Gazato kill them or to try and kidnap one of them.The release of the video could also be an attempt by Hamas to show thePalestinian street that it is still involved in anti-Israel terroristactivities.
Since the end of Operation Cast Lead last year, Hamas has significantlyreduced its terror activity and does not fire Kassam rockets intoIsrael. But Israel believes Hamas is under major pressure fromcompeting Palestinian terror groups and as a result, the defenseestablishment assesses, the terror group will renew hostilities withIsrael by the end of the year.
