Summary of events in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip during the week

IDF SPOKESPERSON ANNOUNCEMENT

In the past week, IDF forces have continued operating against terrorist infrastructures in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip.

Summary of activity in the Gaza Strip:

The IDF operated in the southern Gaza Strip in order to prevent the terror organizations, Hamas in particular, from approaching the security fence and to thwart the launching of rockets and mortar shells into Israel.

Today, IDF forces fired at Palestinian gunmen in two different incidents along the Gaza Strip security fence. In one of the incidents this morning, IDF forces discovered that the two gunmen killed in the incident were carrying large quantities of arms. Also today, two gunmen, one of them a 15 year old youth, were identified planting two primed explosive devices after having carried them to the security fence in a cart. The force fired at the two gunmen and identified hitting one of them. The young gunman, who was not hit, was taken by the force for questioning.
This year, approximately 80 bombs have been planted against forces along the Gaza Strip security fence.

On Tuesday, the IDF targeted, in the central Gaza Strip, a vehicle carrying a senior wanted terrorist who was heavily involved in the direction of Qassam rocket launchings. On Wednesday, the IDF targeted a rocket launching cell, shortly after it fired a Qassam rocket at Israel.

Today, Palestinians launched 8 Qassam rockets and over 10 mortar shells from Gaza into Israel.
Over the week, Palestinians launched over 20 rockets and 40 mortars into Israel, most of which fell inside Israel. One of the rockets directly hit a residential building in the city of Sderot.

In the past four months, over 1000 rockets and mortar shells were launched into Israel.

Summary of activity in Judea and Samaria:

During the week, IDF forces operating in the region discovered an explosives lab in Nablus. The explosives lab contained a mortar shell, an improvised grenade, a container filled with explosives, 30 liters of hydrogen peroxide, acetone bottles and M-16 and AK-47 ammunition. A total of 11 bomb-manufacturing labs have been discovered this year in the city, a major terrorist hub.

Yesterday, an IDF soldier standing at a transportation stop was seriously wounded by terrorist fire from a passing vehicle near the city of Ariel. The terrorists' vehicle continued driving east and opened fire at passing vehicles, Israeli and Palestinian, causing a light injury to an Israeli civilian.

IDF forces killed two senior Islamic Jihad terrorists in northern Samaria during exchanges of fire in Jenin on Tuesday. The force then found rifles, bombs, grenades, military vests and ammunition in the possession of the two. An IDF officer was lightly injured during the exchanges of fire. The two terror operatives, Khaled Hussein and Mahammed Guavra, were responsible for the execution of an attempted suicide attack on July 12th, which was thwarted at the Anabta checkpoint, east of Tul Karm.

On Tuesday, a Molotov cocktail was hurled at an Israeli bus. During a search conducted after the incident, a soldier was lightly wounded by rocks thrown at him by Palestinians. In other incidents during the week, four Israeli vehicles were damaged as a result of Palestinians throwing rocks.

During the week forces also uncovered a handgun, two long knives and additional ammunition in different operations in Judea and Samaria.

Palestinians hurled an explosive device and opened fire on three occasions at IDF forces.

Overall, in the past week IDF forces arrested 42 wanted terror operatives in the region.