BICOM

An Israeli was killed on Monday morning after terrorists infiltrated Israel’s southern border with Egypt.

Initial information revealed that a terrorist cell penetrated the fence along the border with Egypt this morning, and set off an explosive device on the border, in proximity to a team of Defence Ministry employees who were constructing a portion of the border fence.

After infiltrating the border, the terrorists fired a rocket propelled grenade and automatic machineguns at the workers. As a result, two construction workers were seriously wounded, with one later dying from his wounds. The IDF were called to the scene and began exchanging fire with the armed men. According to the IDF, several terrorists were shot at, and at least two were killed.

Israeli communities near the border were been put on high alert, and Route 10 and 12 were blocked to incoming traffic.

The attack followed two rocket attacks from the Sinai Peninsula into Israel over the weekend, as the Egyptian presidential election was underway. A senior defence official said Sunday that Israel had not yet confirmed the identity of the terror cell that launched two rockets into southern Israel on Friday night – one near Uvda and the other near Mitzpe Ramon.

Israel is likely to want to avoid an escalation which would play into the hands of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, at a time of growing power struggle between the Brotherhood and the Egyptian military.

 

This event triggered an escalation of Palestinian rocket fire and Israeli air-strikes across the Israel-Gaza border. For latest developments go to www.bicom.org.uk/news.