Israeli forces on Sunday fired on two men from Gaza during what the Israeli military said was an attempt to plant a bomb along the Gaza security fence. Palestinian sources reported both were killed.
The two men were spotted from a nearby military observation post as they approached the fence north of Khan Yunis on a motorbike, according to the Israel Defense Forces. Troops from Israel’s Haruv Battalion who were called to the scene engaged the suspected terrorists, the IDF said in a statement. The Israeli military did not confirm the men’s death, saying only that “a hit was identified.”
The Gaza Health Ministry reported that two Palestinians had been killed in an exchange of fire with IDF troops, while Palestinian media outlets claimed the IDF was preventing local paramedics from evacuating the bodies from the scene.
The initial belief within the defense establishment was that the two men belonged to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization.
Meanwhile, Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar reported on Saturday that Hamas in Gaza had raised alert levels in fear of a significant Israeli surprise attack, despite Israel’s easing of restrictions on the coastal enclave, including the approval of 7,000 work permits and expanding fishing zones off the Gaza coast to 15 nautical miles.
A senior Hamas official in Gaza told the paper: “We believe there’s a chance of an assassination attempt or significant aerial strike before the election in Israel [on March 2].”
On Friday, Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar met with Qatari envoy Muhammad al-Amadi in Gaza City. The two discussed economic initiatives to improve the lives of Gazans, as well as Gaza infrastructure.
Al-Amadi announced that a hospital would be constructed in southern Gaza at a cost of $24 million.
“There was a positive mood at the meeting and an eagerness to provide a better future for our citizens,” Hamas said in a statement. The meeting marked Sinwar’s first public appearance in some time and followed a report last week by Arab media outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that Israel had considered assassinating him but was dissuaded by Egyptian mediators.
Jerusalem
Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, a terrorist near the Lion’s Gate of the Old City spotted an Arab terrorist with a knife running at his intended victim. After calling on him to stop, the terrorist turned towards the police to stab them instead. At that point, the police opened fire killing him on the spot. A woman in the area was lightly injured.
המחבל הגיע עם סכין שלופה במטרה לבצע פיגוע, השוטרים הגיבו במהירות, ביצעו ירי ונטרלו אותו.
זירת הפיגוע בעיר העתיקה: pic.twitter.com/7Tjh5QVIUz
— משטרת ישראל (@IL_police) February 22, 2020
ניסיון פיגוע דקירה בירושלים: סמוך לשעה 11:00 לוחמי מג”ב הפועלים סמוך לשער האריות הבחינו במחבל עם סכין שלופה המגיע בריצה במטרה לבצע פיגוע. הם קראו לו לעצור והמחבל הסתובב לעברם כדי לפגוע בהם. השוטרים הגיבו במהירות, ביצעו לעברו ירי ונטרלו אותו. אישה שהייתה במקום נפצעה באורח קל pic.twitter.com/14GEGKD5g1
— משטרת ישראל (@IL_police) February 22, 2020
