Footage of the terrorists
Footage shows terrorists strolling unnoticed near kibbutz
Security cameras in kibbutz Tze'elim capture three terrorists from Gaza wandering near its entrance undisturbed for several minute near its wide open gate before being caught; they were apprehended carrying knives, grenades and bolt cutters.
CCTV footage shows the three terrorists, who infiltrated into Israel from Gaza Tuesday and who were caught shortly after near kibbutz Tze'elim, wandering around undisturbed for several minute while the gate to the Kibbutz was left wide open.
The three were caught by a group of IDF soldiers, who discovered that they were armed with grenades and knives.
Footage of the terrorists near the entrance to the kibbutz
Boaz Kretzmer, who has served in recent years as head of the Strategic Division in the Eshkol Regional Council and now serves as chairman of the kibbutz, noted that while "Tze'elim is 20 kilometers from the border (with Gaza) and is not considered to be within the 'Gaza vicinity,' that did not prevent the terrorists from reaching it."
Kretzmer stressed this is especially troubling since it means the kibbutz is not protected in the same way communities in the Gaza vicinity are, and urged the state to "view the incident as a red flag—that the arbitrary distance set for perimeter of the Gaza vicinity is no longer relevant, and that security in the more distant communities must also be strengthened. And the sooner the better."
According to details provided Tuesday afternoon by IDF Spokesperson Brigadier-General Manelis, an tracking force from the Southern Command detected footprints and a breach in the fence at 9:10 am and launched a manhunt procedure which included the army, the police and civilians. At 10:35 am, a military force arrested the terrorists about 200 meters from the Tze'elim base.
The captured terrorists (Photo: Barel Efraim)
The IDF spokesman said a slight indication had been detected on the border fence on Monday night near the Nir Yitzhak area, where the three terrorists had crossed into Israel. It remains unclear whether the indication has to do with the captured terrorists. It is also unclear when the terrorists crossed the border and whether it happened hours before the breach was detected.
The terrorists, who are all members of the same family from Rafah, were captured in possession of three grenades, a knife and two bolt cutters. "We don’t know what their target was because they are still being interrogated," the IDF spokesman said. "They didn’t pull out the weapons at any point.
"This incident shouldn't have happened," Manelis added. "It ended successfully without any injuries. It's unclear why they weren't caught immediately. The terrorists likely didn’t have a vehicle that picked them up, but the investigation isn't over yet."
