Hand Grenade Attached to a Balloon Found in Field at Gaza-border Community
Police sappers arrive at scene to denote the grenade; Eskhol Regional Council says field was supposed to be harvested tomorrow, meaning that a major accident could have happened had the grenade not been found
A hand grenade attached to a balloon was found in a field in Israeli territory close to the border with Gaza on Monday, the Israeli army said. The army is currently investigating whether the device was flown in from Gaza.
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The security coordinator from Kibbutz Magen identified the grenade between Kibbutz Urim and Kibbutz Reim during a regular patrol of the border areas. A junction on Route 234 has been temporarily closed while police sappers work to neutraliזe the explosive device.
The Eshkol Regional Council said farmers were planning to harvest the field where the grenade was found on Tuesday, adding it could have damaged farming vehicles.
Since April 2018, Palestinians in Gaza have begun sending flaming kites and baloons toward Israel, prompting a debate within the Israeli defense establishment on what kind of military response Israel could give.
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On Saturday, some 450 Palestinian protesters rallied along the Gaza border hurling rocks and hand grenades toward Israeli troops. The clashes came after two Palestinians were killed by Israeli army fire during confrontations along the Israel-Gaza border fence Friday.
The total number number of Palestinians killed in clashes with Israeli troops during the weekly Friday protests that began in March has climbed to 177.