Israel Matzav

Three IDF soldiers killed in Gaza

Three IDF soldiers were killed in Gaza this morning and two more were wounded after they gave chase after what appeared to be 'Palestinian' infiltrators into Israel near Kibbutz Be'eri (opposite the central Gaza Strip) and walked right into an ambush.

Givati soldiers were patrolling the border near Kibbutz Be'eri when they spotted a number of armed Palestinians moving towards the border in what appeared to be an attempt to infiltrate into Israel. The soldiers then crossed into Gaza to engage the Palestinians, but fell into a well-planned ambush and came under heavy gun and rocket fire.

Initially, two soldiers were killed and three were wounded, one of them seriously. The wounded were then evacuated to Soroka Hospital in Beersheba, where the soldier in serious condition later died of his wounds.

The fighting continued throughout most of the morning.

One of the soldiers who was killed was identified as Sgt. Matan Ovdati, 19, from Patish. Another was names as Sgt. Menhash Albaniat, 20, a tracker from Kseife in the Negev.

Hamas took responsibility for the attack, and vowed to continue attacks against Israel.

"We will continue to conduct many operations against the occupation, and continue to set ambushes of death against its cowardly soldiers," Hamas said in a flier which was published following Wednesday morning's attack. "IDF soldiers going into Gaza have four choices: to be killed, captured, seriously wounded, or become psychologically traumatized."

According to reports, the gunmen managed to escape.

Here's a video report:

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:03 PM