A Palestinian rioter on the Gaza border. (Wissam Nassar/Flash90) (Wissam Nassar/Flash90)
Palestinian rioter on the Gaza border

“Those who play with fire endanger themselves,” an IDF spokesman warned Gaza’s terrorists. 

By: Max Gelber, United with Israel

The IDF issued a stern warning to Gaza’s terrorists on Sunday following a cross-border clash that resulted in the death of three members of the Islamic Jihad terror organization.

Palestinian terrorists placed an explosive charge on the security fence between Gaza and Israel on Saturday night, attempting to harm IDF forces securing Israel’s border.

IDF troops on Sunday detonated the explosive device using a sapper’s robot. No IDF soldiers were injured in the incident. In response, an IDF tank targeted a military observation post in the southern Gaza Strip.

Three Islamic Jihad terrorists were killed in the shelling, after which the Islamic Jihad vowed revenge.

“We know how to respond to this dangerous Israeli escalation and this is our right,” the terror organization stated.

Responding to the threat in a post in Arabic and Hebrew, IDF spokesman Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis announced, “We hear threats issued by Gaza-based terror organizations that are supported by Iran. The IDF views with severity any acts of terrorism carried out against Israel’s civilians and views the Hamas terror organizations as responsible for anything emanating from the Gaza Strip.”

“Those who play with fire endanger themselves,” he concluded.

Israel Will Not Tolerate Attacks from Gaza

Addressing the weekly Cabinet meeting on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel will not “tolerate attacks against us from the Gaza Strip.”

“The IDF and the security forces are working around the clock to protect the State of Israel, Israeli citizens and Israel’s borders,” he added.

These latest violent incidents came at a tense time along the Israeli border with Gaza.

More than 110 Palestinians, mostly terrorists by Hamas’ own admission, have been killed in weekly Hamas-led riots on the border that began nine weeks ago.

Hamas appears resolved to continue the clashes, with the ultimate objective of “returning to Palestine” and eliminating the Jewish state. Israel has vowed to defend its border and its nearby communities.

“The IDF views these ongoing attempts with great severity, specifically Hamas’ daily attempts to damage security infrastructure and threats to the safety of Israelis,” the IDF stated.

“The IDF is determined to fulfill its mission to protect and ensure the safety of Israeli civilians,” it added.