JERUSALEM (JTA) — Three Palestinians armed with grenades and knives who infiltrated Israel from Gaza were captured near an army base in southern Israel.
The three men were arrested Tuesday near the Tzeelim army base, which is located about 12 miles from the Gaza border. They also were carrying the tools they allegedly used to cut through the border fence.
Israeli troops had noticed the breach in the fence and footprints leading away from it, triggering a search for the men, which ended a little more than an hour later, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.
A police sapper and a police robot neutralized the grenades.
The Israeli military said it was investigating the incident, which it called “serious.”
On Saturday, four Palestinians illegally entered Israel and set fire to military construction equipment before fleeing back to Gaza when troops arrived.
“We will not allow a mass crossing of the fence, we will do everything possible so that Israeli citizens will be able to sit at the seder table in a calm and good manner,” IDF spokesman Brig.-Gen. Ronen Manlis said in a statement.
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