A Palestinian Islamic Jihad sniper squad opened fire from the area of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip toward IDF troops operating within Israeli territory.
Israeli soldiers and the YAMAM Police Counterterrorism Unit retaliated with artillery fire to eliminate the threat. According to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, “a hit was identified,” and Palestinian media reported that one Palestinian was “lightly to moderately injured.” There were no casualties among the IDF troops during the exchange.
In related developments, Israeli Defense Minister Naftali Bennett has expressed doubt that a long-lasting truce can be secured with Jihadist organizations in the Gaza Strip. In an exclusive interview with the military Galatz Radio channel, the top defense official underscored that “the policy that we implemented states that our response will be determined by their actions for better or worse. I am not in a state of normalization, I don’t trust anyone, I am very skeptical.”
After unequivocally stating “I do not intend to be dragged into (Gaza) and send soldiers, on their terms,” Minister Bennett then made it clear that Israel will use all the tools at its disposal to end the terror-related activities from the Hamas-controlled territory, saying that “The terms, the time and the method in which we will deal with Hamas will be determined by us, not them.”