IDF Spokesperson February 2nd, 2009

Maj. Gen. Gadi Shamni, GOC of the IDF Central Command, has conducted an
initial investigation of the incident this morning in which a Palestinian
gunman opened fire at an IDF patrol force near the Community Yatir, south of
Hebron.

As a result of the investigation, the Central Command assumes that the
terrorist, who was carrying an AK-47 assault rifle, a nine millimeter
handgun and five matching ammunition clips, was intending to execute a
terror attack against Israeli civilians. The area of the incident is used as
an illegal route into Israel for both terrorist activity and for illegal
infiltrators. The terrorist who executed a suicide attack in Dimona on
February 4th 2008 infiltrated into Israel via the same route.

The investigation of the incident showed that an IDF force patrolling the
region noticed a vehicle driving off road, in what they suspected could be
an attempt to cross into Israel. The force instructed the vehicle to halt
and when it failed to do so, fired a number of warning shots in the air. The
gunman stopped their vehicle and began firing directly at the soldiers. The
force responded by firing back and identifying a hit. The assault rifle,
handgun and ammunition were discovered during searches of the area that
followed the incident.

Maj. Gen. Shamni praised the soldiers involved in the incident for their
actions.