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Thursday, July 24, 2014 |
[With map of tunnels] IDF Spokesperson Announcement Summary of Events |
[With map of tunnels] IDF Spokesperson Announcement- Operation Protective = Edge Day 17 - Summary of Events Operation Protective Edge Day 17 =96 Summary of Events Since the beginning of the ground phase of Operation Protective Edge, IDF = soldiers have uncovered 31 tunnels used for terror, 11 of which were = subsequently destroyed by IDF forces. Throughout the morning, the IDF has = targeted approximately 90 terror activity sites in Gaza. Among them were = concealed rocket launchers and surveillance posts. In the early morning hours, IDF soldiers detained 2 militants who were = identified emerging from an access shaft of a tunnel used for terror. In a separate incident, soldiers identified a suicide bomber wearing an = explosive belt in the southern Gaza Strip. The soldiers fired at him, = confirming the threat neutralized. Subsequently, the force located 2 tunnel = access shafts adjacent to the scene. To download a map specifying the locations of several of the tunnels = uncovered by IDF soldiers in the Gaza Strip during the course of Operation = Protective Edge. Later on, armored forces identified a squad of armed militants and fired at = their direction, confirming a hit. Also today, militants fired anti-tank missiles at IDF soldiers from within = the Al-Wafa hospital compound, injuring 4 IDF soldiers, one of them = severely. The soldiers responded with fire, killing 2 militants. In order = to eliminate the threat posed to the soldiers' lives, IAF aircraft targeted = both the structure and another site nearby which was used as a weapon = storage facility and a terror command post. In the past few days, the area surrounding the UNRWA school in Beit Hanoun = has turned into a battlefield, therefore prompting the IDF to insist those = present to evacuate it. Furthermore, the IDF authorized a humanitarian time = window for evacuation between 10:00-14:00 IDT earlier today. Hamas = prevented the civilians from leaving it and once again used their = infrastructure and international symbols as human shields. In the course of = the afternoon, several rockets launched by Hamas from within the Gaza Strip = landed in the Beit Hanoun area. From initial inquiries done about the = incident, during the intense fighting in the area, militants opened fire at = IDF soldiers from the school area. In order to eliminate the threat posed t= their lives, they responded with fire toward the origins of the shooting. = The IDF is still reviewing the incident. Furthermore, according to the COGAT Spokesman, the UNRWA claims that Israel = prevented the safe evacuation of the school in Beit Hanoun are unfounded. I= should be emphasized that during recent days, COGAT has been maintaining = close contact with representatives of the UNRWA, the ICRC, and Palestinians = in Beit Hanoun. COGAT made every possible effort to ensure the safety of = local residents by evacuating them from the area, which has been marked by = intense fighting and Hamas rocket launching towards Israel, including from = the vicinity of such facilities. It should be further emphasized that = following this contact, the humanitarian window was authorized. Since 1992 providing news and analysis on the Middle East with a focus on A= Website: www.imra.org.il For free regular subscription: For free daily digest subscription: IMRA is now also on Twitter |
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