The Israeli army destroyed a tunnel from the Gaza Strip that it says was designed to kidnap soldiers.
The tunnel was destroyed in a planned operation Wednesday morning, an army statement said. Four soldiers were treated for light to moderate injuries after Palestinian militants inside the tunnel returned fire during the raid. The army statement said that a number of the Palestinians were hit.
Israel is observing a fragile cease-fire with Hamas, the terrorist group controlling Gaza.
"This was a pinpoint operation intended to prevent an immediate threat. There is no intention to disrupt the cease-fire rather the purpose of the operation was to remove an immediate and dangerous threat posed by the Hamas terror organization," the statement said. "The building of the tunnel, located adjacent to the security fence, and intended for the abduction of Israeli soldiers, is a blatant violation of the cease-fire."
