Israel Matzav

3 terrorists die, 5 soldiers wounded in Hamas attack on IDF post near Gaza

We have preliminary reports from HaAretz and Al-Reuters that indicate that terrorists from Hamas, the 'People's Resistance Committee' and yet another 'new' terrorist group - the 'Islamic Army' attacked an IDF post near the Gaza Strip this morning. Three terrorists were killed and five IDF soldiers were wounded when an anti-tank missile hit the post.

"There was an operation to land fighters behind the Kerem Shalom crossing. There is a large number of fatalities and wounded among the enemy," said Abu Ubaida, a spokesman for the Hamas armed wing.

At this writing, fighting near the outpost is apparently still continuing.

The IDF closed the Kerem Shalom crossing between Israel and Gaza for several days last week due to a security alert. The closure of Kerem Shalom meant that the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt was also shut. According to HaAretz, the border crossing was closed because the European monitors who use Kerem Shalom to access Rafah could not reach the border. I think that means that the European monitors are living in Israel and not in Gaza or Egypt. I wonder why. /sarcasm

On Saturday, Fatah and Hamas apparently reached an agreement that "resistance" operations would be limited to territories occupied liberated by Israel since in the 1967 Six-Day War, including 'East Jerusalem.'

Update - 8:50 AM

The Jerusalem Post is now reporting that two IDF soldiers were killed in the raid.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:12 AM