Israeli Soldiers Killed Near Egypt Border
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Three Israeli soldiers have been killed and others wounded by a gunman near the border with Egypt, the government and the army said Saturday.
A male and a female soldier were found dead at an army post after failing to answer calls early on Saturday, according to military officials.
Another third Israeli soldier and the alleged attacker – described as an Egyptian policeman – were later killed during a search operation, the Israeli army explained.
The Egyptian military said the three Israeli and one Egyptian security personnel had been killed in an exchange of fire as the Egyptian security officer chased smugglers across the frontier.
However, the military treated the incident “as a terrorist attack,” stressed Major General Eliezer Toledano, the Israeli military’s Southern Command chief.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the “fatal incident at the Egyptian border during the Sabbath is serious and unusual and will be thoroughly investigated.”
The Egyptian army said its defense minister Mohamed Zaki offered his condolences in a phone call with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant.
REGIONAL TENSIONS
Both ministers agreed to take “necessary measures” to avoid a repeat of the border shooting incident, Egyptian officials said.
Saturday’s violence comes after weeks of heightened regional tensions, including massive missile strikes fired at Israel from Gaza and Israel’s army crackdown on militants.
Egypt brokered a recent cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas which Israel said had been involved in a terror campaign against the Jewish state.
In 1979, Egypt became the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel.
Since then, fewer violent incidents have occurred along their 200 kilometers (124 miles) long border.
Israel’s military said that while drug smuggling attempts in the area were frequent, “the last known infiltration” into Israel that resulted in casualties happened some 10 years ago.
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