Coordinated attacks in south Israel kill 8
15-20 Gazans tunnel into Sinai, cross border armed with rifles, grenades and explosives; IAF retaliates in Gaza Strip, killing senior terrorist.
By Anshel Pfeffer Tags: Israel terrorism Egypt Gaza IDFEight Israelis were killed and 30 more wounded during a well-planned terror attack along the Israeli-Egyptian border Thursday.
The attack was planned in the Gaza Strip by the Popular Resistance Committees and perpetrated by terrorists who crossed from Gaza into Sinai via smuggling tunnels. They then traveled some 200 kilometers to reach an area of the border protected only by a tattered wire fence, about 15 kilometers north of Eilat.
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Medical personnel tending to wounded soldiers from Bus No. 392, which was hit by a volley of gunfire north of the Netafim crossing Thursday. |
| Photo by: Yossi Ben |
Israeli forces killed five of the terrorists, and Egyptian soldiers reportedly killed two more. But the Israel Defense Forces estimates that 15 to 20 participated in the attack, meaning most escaped.
IDF officials believe the goal of the attack was to kidnap a soldier. The IDF had previously responded to warnings of a planned attack, beefing up its forces in the area.
The assault began around noon, when three terrorists armed with rifles, grenades and explosives entered Israel from Egypt and stationed themselves at intervals of about 200 meters along the highway to Eilat, Route 12, at a stretch of road that runs very close to the border. At 12:30 P.M., they opened fire on an Egged Bus 392, wounding seven passengers, causing light to moderate injuries. Most of those injured were soldiers.
A few minutes later, an empty bus and several cars arrived. The terrorists opened fire again, and when the bus stopped, one of the terrorists ran up to the bus and activated his explosive belt, killing himself and the driver.
The shooting killed four occupants of one car, plus the driver of another.
At that point, the first soldiers arrived in two vehicles. One vehicle ran down one of the terrorists, killing him. Soldiers in the second vehicle opened fire on the third terrorist. One soldier, Staff Sgt. Moshe Naftali of Ofra, was killed in the ensuing gun battle.
Additional police and army forces then arrived on the scene and killed the third terrorist. They also opened fire on two additional terrorists who were waiting on the Egyptian side of the border.
Assault helicopters joined the battle, and a terrorist fired a rocket-propelled grenade at one of the helicopters, but missed.
The two terrorists in Sinai were killed after policemen from Yamam, the special anti-terror unit, pursued them a short distance into Egyptian territory. The policemen returned to Israel immediately thereafter.
While all this was happening, the terrorists also fired mortars at a civilian work crew repairing the fence nearby, but caused no casualties.
The Egyptian army later reported that it killed two additional terrorists in Sinai. The IDF was in close contact with the Egyptian army throughout.
After the battle, the IDF brought in sappers, who discovered bombs planted along the road and dismantled them.
Then, at about 6:45 P.M., as senior defense officials were briefing reporters on the earlier attack, terrorists opened fire once again − this time at a Yamam force patrolling the border not far from the site of the original attack. One policeman was killed in the assault and another was wounded.
The second attack occurred about 45 minutes after the Israel Air Force attacked a group of senior PRC officials in Rafah, a Gazan town on the Sinai border. Among the six people killed were Kamel Nirab, the head of the PRC; Imad Hamed, the person responsible for its military activity in Gaza; Khaled Shaath, a leading member of the PRC’s military wing who was involved in rocket attacks on Israel; and Khaled Masri, who was involved in kidnapping soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006. The Shin Bet security service suspects that Hamed is the one who planned yesterday’s attack near Eilat.
In response to the air strike, Palestinians fired two Grad rockets at Ashkelon. One landed in an open area near the city and caused no casualties or damage. The other appeared headed for a populous area of the city and was shot down by an Iron Dome anti-missile battery that had been stationed there a few days before due to an escalation in the rocket fire from Gaza.
Two other rockets were fired at Ashkelon at about 10 P.M., and the IDF is preparing for further escalation in rocket fire in response to last night’s air strike.
IDF sources said that since Egyptians toppled President Hosni Mubarak’s regime in February, the number of warnings about terror attacks from Sinai has doubled. Arms smuggling into Gaza from Sinai has also surged since Mubarak’s fall. Most of the weapons come from Iran via Sudan, but more recently, arms taken from Libyan army depots left unguarded due to that country’s civil war have also arrived.
Israel recently authorized Egypt’s new government to send large forces into Sinai − far beyond the numbers permitted under the 1978 peace treaty − in order to deal with the numerous terrorists active there, including groups affiliated with Al-Qaida as well as Palestinian organizations. Just last week, 2,000 Egyptian soldiers, accompanied by tanks, entered Sinai for this purpose. But so far, there are no signs that Egypt has succeeded in regaining control of the peninsula.
Yesterday’s attack casts further doubt on whether Israel can continue to rely on Egyptian forces to protect its southern border. Following the 1978 peace agreement, the IDF removed most of its troops from the border, which is now patrolled by just a few battalions, mostly reservists. Though this force was beefed up temporarily in recent weeks, doing so over the long term would interfere with the army’s training program and other operational activity, and might require calling up additional reserve units.
Another question relates to intelligence. Israel has until now refrained from employing agents in Egypt; it relies on electronic intelligence and information from agents in Gaza. But given the new situation in Egypt, this may no longer suffice.
Defense Ministry sources said the ministry has already accelerated construction of a planned 200-kilometer-long high-tech fence along the southern border. Thus far, 45 kilometers have been finished, and construction is now due to be completed by the end of next year, rather than the end of 2013 as originally planned.
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U don't realize the timing of these accident while ur revolution against high cost leaving so ur government found that ur revolution is going to be bigger so they have to cover it by a bigger show what is more than terrorism even have if he have to kill from his own ppl and at the end maybe right or wrong
Israel must know that if it make any folly action its mean that it is digging it own grave and writing it own end
arabs are the scurge of the earth
attackers were factions from within egypt. Why doesn't Israel retaliate against militant targets inside the Sinai where the attackers were???
I'm confused. In the first fourteen paragraphs of this story, you refer to "terrorists" again and again. Fourteen times in total. Suddenly, in the fifteenth paragraph, you refer for the first time to something called "palestinians." Who are they?
bibi and leiberman's popularity has risen, and even leftist pro peace israeli's will favor major military retribution. hamas wants to fight israel in small steps over and over. israel must answer harshly to survive.
Ur end is in our hands .. we r the best warriors ever.. we r who defeated u in 1973.. and we'r the heroes that r gonna achieve the final dream victory for the Arabic and Islamic world.. WE ARE THE GREAT EGYPTIANS .. WE'R GONNA GET RID OF U
Yes offcorse,keep smoking...
Any posting I've made critical of the left and advocating a strong Israel never gets published but a comment like the above from Mohamed makes the grade? What a disgrace the Jews who run this site are. Gideon Levy probably wants to elect this guy to be PM.
Seriously? Why would any Palestinian attack Israel so close to the UN statehood vote? THEY WOULDN'T!!! It is suicide!!! Israel has the superior military Wake up! This only benefits ISRAEL. If you believe this was the Palestinians, boy oh boy.... there is not hope in this world at all. The wool has been pulls so far over your eyes that there is no turning back. Who do you think is responsible for the status quo? Who bombed the King David hotel? Whose dad is a hardcore revisionist Zionist? Well like father like son. Maybe Sharon had a change of heart and that coma wasn't an accident...
at last someone still have his brain on , thanks Brother.
huh what do u think?? Egypt Today, is not Egypt that You have known for the past 30 years! Egypt is free at last!!!
These attacks all took place inside the "1948" borders.
Not before time, and that's the price Israel has to pay for its illegal occupation and settlements. These attacks show that Israel doesn't have a monopoly on the murder of innocent civilians, the Palestinian freedom fighters have the same option, but exercise it in a just cause - to end the illegal occupation.
As does the chair
if israelies called themselves peacemakers??why they strike gaza even they don't have a proof that those terrorists are comin' from gaza? and why israelies killed 2 egyptian soldier on borders? Egypt made peace treaty with israel..isn't it?
...but they are not pursuing peace. They have rejected peace in favor of settlement expansion over and over again. Because of this, when these things happen, you want to say to Israel, suck it up and stop complaining. This is a glimpse of your future and this won't change no matter how many Palestinians you kill.
but people of good will sympathize. They remember the ten month settlement freeze during which Abbas refused to negotiate. They know the Palestinians have stalled peace as much as the LIkud gov't has
The fact that you use the word "almost' reviles your true nature. It's clear that no matter what Israel would or would not do you would never feel sympathetic no matter how many Israeli's are killed.
We're also quite aware that you support not only Hamas, but Assad and Iran. You fool no one and if even more proof was needed is the fact that you consider your own argument so weak, that you must use the "world" argument, thinking you have any backing.
We're also quite aware that you support not only Hamas, but Assad and Iran. You fool no one and if even more proof was needed is the fact that you consider your own argument so weak, that you must use the "world" argument, thinking you have any backing.
that Barak missed, perhaps because it wasn't empty! These 'tit for tat' military responses are weak and unsuccessful. It is shallow reasoning. It sends the signal that more and greater attacks are possible. If this government will not act decisively to protect Israel then they need to step aside and let someone else try. Perhaps Livni could blast them with the foul breath of her big mouth !
Operation Cast Lead 2 now.
freeeeeeeeeeee PALESTINE
free Gaza and SHomron from the cancerous Hamas Fatah et al.
After all, Sinai infiltrators are killing Israelis in Israel, Waziristan Taliban have not killed anybody in the USA. Article 51 of UN Charter gives Israel this right of self defense, Egyptian border or not. . The problem is not lack of Egyptian police (or tanks!) in Sinai, the problem is Egypt allowing illegal weapons into demilitarized Sinai from Suez over the three (3) roads that are the only way things can get there from the Suez ports and bridges that Iran uses to smuggle them through Egypt. US aid and arms to Egypt should be shut off until they comply with the treaty by shutting this arms flow off. It takes about 500 people in the canal area and NO tanks near Israel.
What can and can not get published as a talkback never ceases to disappoint me.
I hate slow reactions
For all those so called "Israeli's". You even think about entering or doing anything in Egypt and we swear to god it'll be your last days.
Isnt that what you guys thought in 1967?
Just like it was our "last days" in 1948, 1956, 1967 and 1973. Their country is collapsing around them. The poor Egyptian will be starving in a few months. The army is in charge and will never allow a full democracy and this is all that they can do is threaten and bluster. Typical Arab mind.
it looks like a gift for the struggling governments , in Egypt and Israel .. to ease the pressure of protests .. who knows what's the next move , but hopefully , we the commentators grow up ,
you r the biggest liers ever .. who cheated u and told u that 1967 was a war ? who cheated u and told u that u were the winners in 1973? if so .. why does Sinai belongs to Egypt now ?. .. stop lying and cheating
and distract the world from Syria
I need corroboration
How come it did not earlier?
Khaled Shaath was in the concret WC!
Our Medias report that in chasing the terrorist Israel killed two Egyptian agents , That will have severe consequences, killing Egyptians who themselves were chasing the terrorists.
it seems that you have forgotten the lesson of 6 October ... we will repeat it ... be ready for damaging war against , Egypt , Iran , Syria , Hezb Allah WE WILL REMOVE ISRAEL
Why would Israelis intentionally kill Egyptian agents hunting the same terrorists? Obviously it was an accident when Israelis were fighting in a chaotic environment nearly 20 terrorists. But yo seem to look for an excuse for starting a war against Israel. Why is this?
It seems that you have forgotten the leson of 6 October when not long afterward the Israeli army was only 101 Km from Cairo with the third army totally surrounded and dying of thirst. You forget the pictures of the Egyptian generals sitting under the tent signing the cease fire surrender documents. Allah is nhot going to help you or your friends this time. This time we do not stop outside Cairo, Damascus or Beirut. This time we take care of business. I would be more worried about the state of Egypt today with its economy crumbling, daily riots in the streets, the army in charge and no sign of democracy. Yet you come here to threaten Israel. When will you ever learn.
he is an ignorant.
lol, you wanna steal the Tut Ankh amoun. just shut up , and save the petrol of ur miserable tank and buy a replica >> hahhaha grow UP MAN , and lol, no army can defeat cairo , even the Egyptian one , look before you leap sun
I'm sure they don't have books. Otherwise you'd know how the war ended with the largest Army ever since WW2 being surrounded, by IDF troops, and the Army less than 100 km from your capital.
WAKE UP EGYPTIAN...NO FOR CAMP DAVID SHIT..IF THEY DON'T RESPECT US..WE DON'T RESPECT THEM TOO
all to deflect attention from Syria, it not a coincidence that it happened on the same day that Assad was asked to leave. Iran was willing to take the risk, they can't lose Assad.
loathsome, despicable retrograde Marxists and ISM/BDS zombies.
It is still too early to analyze what is happening, but my initial thinking is that Egypt must patrol the Sinai otherwise these events can happen again.
What needs rethinking is Egyptian control of the Suez canal roads and bridges - maybe they need their US aid and arms cut off by the US Congress until they cpntrol smuggling into Sinai - easily done since there are only 3bridges and 3 highways leading into Sinai, the only way they can get there in the first place from the rest of Egypt.
TUNNELS have 2 sides , why don't you shut yours if it was so easy , and always remember , the nomads are the masters of the sand , and no one can control a nomad , they are lol, another kind of human beings :D
And the jews gave the Sinai back to Egypt, so whats the problem? In peace for 33 years. Lets not let terrorists spoil anything.
some israelies till this moment say we should take over sinai as they said before west bank is a jewish land..or as they said palestine doesn't exist...i agree with u in peace..but u killed 2 egyptians today inside sinai (inside egypt)..where's the treaty??
cuz isreal got no other way .. if you your country could keep it they would do it.. but we back it by force..
When you take the land from your neighbours, don't expect them to send you flowers ^^
As an all-purpose excuse, that's fine. But in fact, Sinai was returned to Egypt. If terrorists are allowed to attack from there, it will not remain in Egyptian hands for long. Gaza was evacuated of every last Jew.
The problem is that Israel wold kill one hundred civilians for every Hamas person killed. Even the Zionist American congress could not support such slaughter, especially since the American congress is giving Israel many of the weapons used to perform the slaughter.
free palestine
Dun try playing with egyptians you killed two of us and all 80 millions are ready to remove ur country Dun 4get 6 of october when Goldmaer cried
I assure you if you removed Israel, Egypt and most Muslim countries would be removed as well, I would take a delight in seeing the Muslim countries removed
Yes, we do remember.
Egypt tried one and again to eliminate Israel until it realized that PEACE is better for all. You egyptians, never wanted to do anything for the Gazans although
and u r just 63?!!! so by mind >where's the most peacful place>7000? or 63!!!? ..
and u r just 63!! so by mind>where's the peacful place>7000? or 63!!!!? ..about nuclear bombs mr bombo?..egypt's wind is northen-east>>so guess wt? when u bomb egy..nuclears would spread out in east>to israel...lol.and in this case i won't help u..:)
But it wasn't yours. You are just the remnants of Mohammad's westward bloody march to convert and murder. The ancient Egyptians were civilized.
i love reading the comments after an article. Its amazing how both sides always blame the other. Until both sides can finally decide to forgive one another, there will never be peace. Its much easier for a foolish man to hold on to hatred then to reach his hand out to his enemy for peace.
quicksand, you are a thoughtful soul; but only an experience with God's mercy and love can change hearts so hardened. As you know, many people in the region are in the grips of false and violent ideologies. Men of peace must pray and act together or this madness will end in disaster
so that the terrorist leaders can go into hiding, and then go bomb some empty fields, costing the taxpayers millions with no benefit involved.
continue to spout their imaginary tales below the very article that contradicts everything they are blabbering about. Just goes to show, yet again, that these clowns never let the facts get in the way of their blind hatred of Israel and the Jews.
What do you expect? From a people who have been suffering economic hardship for a number of years. Jews of all people should know how it is to be discriminated against.
I can talk for many South Americans when I say, dear Erich, that we are not against Israel, but against SOME of the policies of its government. You have to wonder who is the blind man, if the one that thinks everybody is against him or the one that proclaims that you have to fight the causes of violence as much as the violence itself. I believe that the "siege mentality" of many persons in Israel, even being understandable, is what brings most of the grief the families of the death are suffering today, in another incident of an endless war. My heartfelt condolences go for those families. These are the people we should be talking about today, instead of having the attitude of "See? I told you so! The right answer is retaliation and isolationism". To have peace everybody, you included, must be ready to forgive and cede. The violence is the resource of those unable to be smarter.
Where is the money you get from the UN, EU, US, rich Arabs and even Israel? By the way, is Madame Arafat stil renting the whole floor of a luxury Parisian hotel?
that is less talk and more violence. you can see it anywhere there are Arabs. violence is the key word of this culture. without the west these guys wouldnt have drinking water.
but I don't see economic hardships in Gaza considering they just had a top class hotel built there and knowing how much fun the kids have at all the amazing waterparks. Now retract that statement and think about what you just said.
Who blamed Mubarak I think they are now seeing the fruit of the pudding.No matter how bad he appeared to be to his people,he had a saving grace not only for the Egyptians but also keeping the peace for most of the ME.Egypt is now a lost cause for its people who hoped of better days ahead when the shit hits the fan they will realize he was their salvation after all..Recovery is very far from view ...Sorry to say..
Try ending the genocide against palestine, and maybe the situation will get a little better out there...
Open up your dictionary and look up the word genocide before you so carelessly use it.
The Palestinian population is one of the fasting growing populations in the world, not decreasing. It does not sound like a genocide to me.
wityh all the fighting going on, and israel weapon power, these numbers are slim, maybe a few. what arabs are trying to do, is the continuation of hitlers legacy. if anyone should be acused of genocide, its the arabs, look in iran, libya, and turkey with the armenians.
Try ending the genocide against palestine, and maybe the situation will get a little better out there...
But if you think it makes you look cool and edgy on the internet, be my guest.
with the rate they reproduce, there will be enough of them ...
and that's their strength, and your damnation :)
I am not sure what part of that you all can't read, but for the people who are able to take in what is being written will realize that these terrorist came from the a strip. They retaliated and hit a target in the strip and killed militant leaders. Israel has every right to defend itself.
No country has the absolute right to shoot people on the other side of their border. As long as it's in their own country it's one thing. But as soon as aircrafts pass over the border, or shoot people over the border it's a direct violation. As I understand it, at least 3 egyptian soldiers were killed in Egypt by a Israeli military plane. I i
Try to notice the USA firing drone missiles at AlQaidah and Taliban INSIDE Pakistan, whether Paks like it on not. The answer for Egypt is to stop Hamas firing from its soil into Israel and to stop violating the demilitarized status of Sinai by allowing Iran to smuggle arms into Sinai for Gaza. Egypt has NO RIGHT to Sinai without maintaining its demilitarized status - see CampDavid Treaty.
You will pay much for those two egyptian solider killed today! and it is coming soon guys :)) Things are changed overthere .. c u soon.. ;)
israel must be condemned.
prior to 1967 Gaza was Egyptian territory, Have you no idea of the geography of the situation. Is your knowledge of history that weak. You're a fool.
Did you read the following: "The Egyptian army later reported that it killed two additional terrorists in Sinai. " Oh well...your claim doesn't make any sense does it?
this Anna clearly doesn't know her geography, let alone read or understand the article above. Anna, if u don't know what your talking about, don't bother talking
i love how this news story starts tihngs. classic
In norway they arrest the man, in israel they bomb a whole region that wasnt even involved.
The IAF went right to the house where the organizers of this attack were meeting and blew them to hell (no not the other place). Are you totally out of your head or simply blind to the facts ?
some people just don't know how to think and compare.
I've visited both countries, and while the people of Norway are a lot more pleasant to deal with, I'd have to go with the Israelis on this one. The region bombed apparently was involved, and in Norway they treated a mass murdering monster like a celebrity.
In Norway 91 people were killed and the police intervened when the carnage was essentially over. Norwegian police does not strike me as particularly apt at countering terrorism.
I couldn't agree more ;-)
why are so many isrealies willing ignorant to the fact that they are commiting genocide and the victims are fighting back by any means necessary... just let palestine get its statehood and then lets see u try to ignore the truth... peace and love to the people
ten minutes after the attack? not only that but they know their names, what do they do and everything? That begs a question, if they had so much information then how come they did not prevent the attack?
If you take away arms from the Palestineans, there will be peace. If you take away arms from the Israelis, there will be bloodshed. Thats the difference.
How can you say that Israel is committing Genocide when the Palestinian population has grown by 500% since the six day war? It was in fact the arabs who actually were aiming to committ Genocide against the Jews then!
you can go live in iran, sirya and libya - anytime. ticket on me!
Just give them more guns. Yea!, that's the solution.
Keep your land secure, or else Israel will have to secure it for you.
and therefore responsible. "Israel recently authorized Egypt’s new government to send large forces into Sinai − far beyond the numbers permitted under the 1978 peace treaty.." You can't prevent the Egyptians having a military force in the Sanai and then complain because they don't have a force there.
Israel can't do anything to Egypt; those days are very long gone. They gambled and supported Mubarak. After over 30 years, this ended and they have to accept they no longer can do anything about what happens in Egypt.
Egypt has lost control of Sinai and that should arouse concern, but punishing Egypt is counter-productive. Israel needs to finish it's border fence between Sinai and Israel and prohibit Israelis from traveling there until it is safe again.
They did not attack Egypt, they attack gaza and last time I checked rockets were flying over their boarder and into Israel and a more extreme rate that a few months ago, so please, explain to all of us, what truce?
they were attacked first, they killed some of those who did the attack and they killed some who plan these attacks, they were all willing players
Perhaps you are unaware that a truce cannot be one-sided. When terrorists from Gaza penetrate Israeli borders and kill civilians, Israel doesn't have to abide by the truce unilaterally, even if the terrorists snuck through Egypt.
Perhaps you are unaware that a truce cannot be one-sided. When terrorists from Gaza penetrate Israeli borders and kill civilians, Israel doesn't have to abide by the truce unilaterally, even if the terrorists snuck through Egypt.
no truce was breached. what u don't understand is that the terrorists (from Gaza) used Egypt as their entering point into israel. Israel was not targeting egyptians.