News / Palestine / Egypt

Three Israeli soldiers killed in separate shooting incidents near Egyptian border

Saturday, 03 June 2023 1:35 PM [ Last Update: Saturday, 03 June 2023 1:59 PM ]

In this file picture, a security fence is seen along the border between the Israeli-occupied territories and Egypt. (Photo by AFP)

A gunman has shot and killed three Israeli soldiers in two separate incidents while manning a guard post near the border between the occupied territories and Egypt, the military says.

Spokesman for the Israeli military Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters that two soldiers, one male and one female, began a guard shift together late on Friday at an army post on the border.

After the soldiers did not answer calls on the radio early on Saturday morning, an officer reached the scene and discovered the pair lifeless.

Hours later, the third soldier was killed in a new exchange of gunfire in the area of the initial attack, as Israeli troops were searching for the suspected attacker.

A non-commissioned officer was lightly wounded during the clash with the attacker, the Israeli military said in a statement.

Hagari said the gunman, who was killed in the afternoon clash, was likely responsible for the deadly early morning attack.

The Israeli military said the assailant was an Egyptian police officer.

“An investigation is underway in close and full cooperation with the Egyptian army,” it stated.

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The Israeli minister of military affairs held a situational assessment with the military's chief of staff Herzi Halevi along with other officials on the exchanges of fire, his office said on Saturday afternoon.

Also, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he was receiving regular updates on developments at the scene.

The incidents occurred just hours after a drug smuggling operation had been thwarted at the border.

An Israeli military spokesman, Colonel Richard Hecht, said contraband with an estimated value of 1.6 million shekels ($400,000) had been seized after someone used a ladder to cross the fence.

He said this was assumed to be connected to the later shootings.

The Egyptian army later said in a statement that an officer in charge of border security chased suspects involved in alleged drug smuggling.

“During the pursuit, he crossed the security barrier and an exchange of fire began, in which three Israeli security personnel were killed,” it said.

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