IDF Spokesperson February 1st, 2010

Explosive Devices Located Today on Israeli Public Beaches

Three Days Ago, Palestinian Terrorist Organizations Claim Responsibility for
Maritime Explosive Devices

On January 29th, a number of Palestinian terrorist organizations claimed
responsibility for a maritime terrorist attack following the detonation of
two sea-born explosive devices at a distance of approximately two Kilometers
off the coast of the Gaza Strip.

This morning, February 1st, 2010, Israeli civilians reported seeing a
suspicious unidentified object lying on the Barnea beach, a public beach in
the coastal city of Ashkelon. Israeli Police sappers examined the object to
be an explosive device. A similar object was later located at one of the
beaches in Ashdod, another Israeli city located farther north on the Israeli
Mediterranean coast. The device was detonated in a controlled manner by the
Israeli police.

The terrorist organizations who took responsibility for the original attack
are the Fatah military wing, known as "Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades", the
Popular Resistance Committees military wing, known as "Saladin Brigades" and
the Palestinian Islamic Jihad military wing, known as the"Al-Quds Brigades".

To be attributed to security sources
Israeli security forces, including the Israel Navy, are taking all measures
required to protect the citizens of Israel from threats of this kind.