An Israeli soldier was killed in what the Israeli military described as a failed Hamas infiltration attempt into Israel early Thursday. The incident occurred near the border fence between Israel and Gaza.
The soldier, Zeed Mazarib, 34, was killed while thwarting the attempt, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). This incident comes after a series of attacks on Israeli communities by Hamas fighters on October 7.
While the IDF stated that the militants did not manage to cross the border fence into Israel, the armed wing of Hamas claimed that its militants had successfully entered Israeli territory. The IDF reported that three militants who approached the border fence and fired at Israeli soldiers were killed in Gaza, 300 meters away from the border. The whereabouts of a fourth militant involved in the attempt remain unknown.
The militants were armed with RPGs and assault rifles and had attempted to cross the border east of Rafah. Hamas' armed wing, the Al Qassam Brigades, claimed responsibility for launching a 'landing operation behind enemy lines,' stating that militants were able to penetrate the fence and attack an enemy division headquarters in Rafah.
However, the group did not provide further details on the alleged attack on Israeli military infrastructure or offer evidence to support its claims. The IDF continues to monitor the situation along the border and remains on high alert for any further infiltration attempts.
