IDF: Gaza gunmen highly skilled
Palestinian infiltrators used sophisticated device to cross Gaza border
wall, army says
Hanan Greenberg YNET Published: 08.25.07, 18:26 / Israel News
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3441728,00.html

The device used by Palestinian infiltrators Saturday morning to cross the
wall separating Gaza from Israel is professional and sophisticated, IDF
Northern Gaza Brigade Commander Moni Katz said Saturday afternoon.

"This device may have been built with the help of information that came from
outside the Gaza Strip," he said. Saturday morning, IDF soldiers killed two
heavily armed Palestinian gunmen who crossed into Israel near Gaza's Erez
crossing.

Colonel Katz estimated that the two terrorists were assisted by two other
people as they crossed the nine meter (roughly 30 feet) fence. Later, the
collaborators went back into the Strip as the two gunmen headed north in the
direction of the Coordination and Liaison Administration at the Erez
crossing.

The two Palestinians were carrying guns, explosive devices, bulletproof
vests, and rifle magazines the army said.

"They opened fired at a short range.and hurled a hand grenade. Later, the
two continued north in the direction of the communities of Erez and Netiv
Ha'asara," Katz said. "In fact, the moment they opened fire, we realized we
were dealing with a terrorist infiltration. Until that moment, because of
the heavy fog, it was very difficult to see what was happening."

"We rushed troops to the area and at the same time sent forces to examine
the border fence and wall in order to see how many terrorists infiltrated
Israel," the army official added.

Colonel Katz noted that the army did not receive an advance warning
regarding an intention to carry out a terror attack. However, because of the
heavy fog, troops implemented a special procedure of patrols along the
fence, he said.

"Troops who were on patrol were fired at, and this is how the terrorists
were identified," Katz said.

The incident ended a short time later, as troops quickly surrounded the
terrorists and charged at them. In all, about 80 minutes passed from the
moment shots were first heard at Erez to the killing of the terrorists about
one kilometer inside Israeli territory. However, IDF troops continued to
scour the area in order to ensure no other terrorists were able to
infiltrate. Several hours later, the special deployment was called off.

'System working well'

Even though the terrorists were able to cross into Israel, Colonel Katz
summarized the incident on a positive note.

"The crossing of the wall is obviously not a good thing, but this is an
incident that didn't surprise us," he said. "It was a night of very heavy
fog, and this kind of thing can happen. We can't assign a soldier to guard
every meter of the wall and fence. Exactly for that reason, we have the
forces who are deployed here and know how to handle this kind of incident,
even after the terrorists cross (into Israel,)" Katz stressed.

"At the end of the day, we can see the system is working well. Yesterday we
thwarted an attack in the northern Gaza Strip that was meant to target IDF
soldiers, and this morning another attack was foiled that aimed to hit
Israeli targets," he said.

Katz added that terror groups are escalating their efforts to carry out
attacks. He noted that the escalation process is also accompanied by
improved capabilities on the part of the terrorists.

"However, we're well prepared for what's happening, and in the last month
alone we thwarted six attacks in the vicinity of the border fence and
northern Strip," he said. "At the end of the day, in the past two years,
with the exception of the incident near Kerem Shalom where Gilad Shalit was
abducted, we thwarted the numerous attempted attacks by terror groups," he
concluded.