1 IDF soldier killed, 4 injured along Gaza border
By JPOST.COM STAFF
01/07/2011 20:19

Terrorist cell ambushes paratrooper patrol; injured soldiers transferred to Soroka Hospital in Beersheba; clash follows Hamas call to "unleash the resistance"; Palestinians report artillery, IAF fire into Strip.

Four soldiers were injured by gunfire along the border fence of the central Gaza Strip Friday evening.

According to preliminary reports, a cell of terrorists was situated along the fence near Kibbutz Nirim and opened fire on IDF soldiers from the Paratroopers Brigade with automatic weapons and mortars.

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Palestinian sources reported that the firefight lasted 20 minutes and that tank shells were fired, according to AFP. There was no word of Palestinian casualties.

The cell apparently waited in ambush for an IDF patrol and opened fire when the patrol passed by. An officer in the Southern Command told Channel 10: "We are still learning the details of the event. The soldiers were transferred to the trauma center at Soroka Hospital [in Beersheba] where their condition will be determined."

The officer continued, "From initial details, it seems that we are dealing with a planned ambush by a terrorist cell that intended to observe IDF forces operating in the area where the incident occurred." He added that additional forces were quickly called to the location.

Palestinian news agency Ma'an reported that IAF helicopters fired missiles into the Strip in response to the incident, which the IDF spokesperson declined to confirm or deny.

Responding to reports of suspicions that some of the soldiers were injured by friendly fire from another unit operating in the area, the IDF spokesperson said that the possibility is being investigated along with several other scenarios. The spokesman noted that an investigation has not yet been carried out.

Earlier Friday, a protest took place in the Gaza Strip over the death of 66-year-old Omar Kawasmeh, who was mistakenly killed during an IDF arrest raid in the West Bank city of Hebron Thursday night. During the Gaza rally, Hamas official Ismail Radwan made a call "to unleash the resistance to respond to [the death]," Ma'an reported.

Also on Friday, the PFLP claimed responsibility for firing a mortar shell into Israeli territory. The shell landed in an open area in the Eshkol Regional Council. No injuries were reported.

So go ahead and unlease the resistance.

I hope you do unleash, so we can unleash. Let's go for it, I am not afraid of you nor should Am Israel be afraid of you.