For the second consecutive day, Palestinian terrorists attacked IDF forces on the border with Gaza, to which the Israeli military responded.
On Wednesday, Palestinian terrorists in Gaza fired a mortar shell at IDF troops.
The IDF responded by firing tank shells at the source of the fire, which reportedly was a Hamas observation post.
The Palestinians reported damage to the Hamas military post, but no casualties. No Israelis were injured in the incident.
This was just a day after terrorists shot at an IDF tractor working on the border area. The vehicle was damaged, but no troops were injured.
Since Tuesday, the “Hamas terror organization has fired more than five mortar rounds at forces during operational activities adjacent to the security fence with the Gaza Strip,” the IDF announced in a statement Wednesday evening.
A Hamas terrorist works in a tunnel. (Rahim Khatib/Flash90)
“The IDF holds Hamas responsible and accountable for all attacks originating from the Gaza Strip,” Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, IDF spokesman, stated. “The IDF will continue to operate in order to protect the civilians of southern Israel from all terrorist threats above and beneath ground that pose a severe violation of Israel’s sovereignty. Both Israeli and Palestinian civilians benefit from and deserve to live without the constant concern of escalation. We will work in order to maintain and restore the quiet that the people deserve.”
IDF forces have been operating to improve its fortifications and locate possible terror runnels crossing the border underground.
Speaking in February, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot said that the IDF’s number one mission is to counter the threat posed by Hamas’ attack tunnels emanating from Gaza.
Eisenkot said destroying this network is the IDF’s top priority for 2016, adding that it is not deceived by the relative quiet along the Israel-Gaza border.
The attack occurred just hours after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in the area to tour the region and inspect the remains of a recently exposed Hamas terror tunnel running into Israel.
Meeting with soldiers stationed on the tense border, Netanyahu said that the two years since Operation Protective Edge have been the quietest in years.
By: Max Gelber, United with Israel
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