Israel’s border with Egypt, its second-longest, stretches for over 200km. Israel faces many challenges in securing the Israel-Egypt border—given a high rate of border infiltrations and the constant threat of criminal activity and terrorist operations in the Sinai Peninsula.

An explosive device detonated near a civilian bus near the Israel-Egypt border, killing the driver.

In the past six months, the security situation within the Sinai Peninsula has steadily deteriorated. Weapons smuggling has increased dramatically and the natural-gas pipelines to Israel and Jordan have been repeatedly sabotaged.

In January 2010, a new border fence along the International Border Line (IBL) with Egypt was approved by the Israeli government, the construction of which has since been coordinated with and has received prior approval from the Egyptian authorities. In light of recent regional unrest, the fence’s construction is now more urgent than ever.

On August 18, 2011, eight people were killed and at least 40 others were injured in a multi-pronged terror attack targeting Israeli civilians. In a premeditated attack, terrorists targeted Israeli civilians, who were on their way to Eilat, a popular tourist destination for summer vacations. All of the incidents took place near the Israel-Egypt border. According to Israeli intelligence, the terrorists originated from Gaza.

Mortar shell with phosphorus was fired at the Kerem Shalom land crossing along the Israel-Gaza border. The terrorist organization intentionally aims rocket attacks at major Israeli civilian population centers, putting a million Israelis in the line of rocket fire.

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Mortar shells containing phosphorus, which when exposed to air burn through anything with which they come into contact.

In response to rocket fire from the Gaza Strip at Israel over the past days, IAF aircraft targeted two terror activity sites; one in the northern and one in the southern Gaza Strip. Direct hits were confirmed.

The IDF will not tolerate any attempt to harm Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers, and will not hesitate to respond with strength and determination to any element that uses terror against the State of Israel, until calm is restored. The IDF holds the Hamas terrorist organization solely responsible for any terrorist activity emanating from the Gaza Strip.

While the State of Israel is mourning the murders of eight of its citizens, including that of 22-year-old Staff Sergeant Moshe Naftali, this Thursday it is an appropriate moment to note the perpetrators of this multi-pronged attack the Popular Resistance Committees, or PRC.

The PRC was founded in September 2000, the same month in which a brutal terror war (sometimes known as the “Second Intifada”) was launched that claimed more than a thousand Israeli lives. Categorically refusing any form of reconciliation with Israel, the PRC acts as a sub-contractor for Iranian elements in Lebanon and within the Hezbollah, carrying out terror attacks against Israelis in return for funds.

Emblem of the Popular Resistance Committees

The PRC is also funded and supported directly by Hamas. By allowing the PRC to operate as an ostensibly independent proxy, Hamas is able to cause terror attacks against Israelis while maintaining an official stance of “restraint”. In addition to monthly funding, Hamas also provides the PRC with weapons and battle training.

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Below are some of the terror attacks against Israelis committed by the PRC:

• June 21, 2009: An IDF force on routine patrol identified four IEDs placed along the border fence near Kissufim (central Gaza  Strip). As the IEDs were being disarmed operatives fired two mortar shells and small arms at the force.
• July 5, 2009:  Three mortar shells were fired at an IDF patrol near the Sufa crossing in the southern Gaza Strip.
• July 23, 2009: A group of Israelis working near the Sufa crossing came under fire. After the incident, fire was opened at an IDF force that was patrolling the area.
• January 1, 2010: Four mortar shells were fired at the village of Kerem Shalom and a rocket was fired at Kissufim.
• March 1, 2010: An anti-tank rocket was fired at an IDF force conducting a sweep near the security fence in the Beit Lahiya region (northern Gaza Strip).
• May 21, 2010: During a routine IDF patrol near the security fence in the southern Gaza Strip, an IDF tracker was shot and seriously wounded by sniper fire.
• July 30, 2010:  A 122-mm Grad rocket landed in the city of Ashkelon. A local civilian was treated for shock. It was the first standard rocket fired in over a year and a half.

Continue reading “Popular Resistance Committee: Iran’s “Terror Sub-Contractor” in the Gaza Strip” »

On Thursday, August 18, 2011, in a premeditated attack, terrorists from the Gaza Strip targeted Israeli civilians, who were 20km from reaching Eilat, a popular tourist destination for summer vacations.

The terrorists carried out a string of terror attacks on passenger buses, civilian vehicles and soldiers near the Israel-Egypt border, killing eight people and injuring 40 others.

During an ensuing exchange of fire, IDF soldiers killed seven terrorists, who according to Israeli Military intelligence originated from Gaza. The incident also resulted in the deaths of Staff Sergeant Moshe Naftali, a 22-year-old soldier from Ofra and Chief Warrent Officer Paskal Abrahami, a 49-year-old sniper from Jerusalem.

The below photos display explosives and weapons found on the terrorists behind the multi-pronged terror attack. Each terrorist wore an explosive vest with shrapnel; and carried grenades, an AK-47, ammunition and a military assault knife.

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Capt. Z., an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) officer, shares a personal account of the multi-pronged terror attack on August 18th, 2011:

The morning of August, 18, 2011, began with a graduation ceremony for new soldiers. Following the speeches and celebrations, we headed back to our unit. Back at the base, we got the call that started everything – the order to grab our gear and hit the road. Everyone had already heard rumors that something big had happened, some kind of terrorist attack involving a bus and arms fire. I am an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) officer. My team and I are called up when explosives are found in the battlefield and need to be defused or detonated in a controlled manner. The battlefield is my workshop, a fact which was about to be driven home.

Captain Z. is an explosives ordnance disposal officer.

We arrived at the scene, approximately 20km north of Eilat, a city renowned for its beaches, coral reefs and nightlife. It was hard to swallow the scene of carnage just miles from a thriving center of tourism. The desert landscape was shattered by the burned husk of a civilian bus, a bullet-riddled car and a flipped-over vehicle. Beyond that, there were dead bodies–dead Israeli civilians and terrorists were scattered all around.

Background information prior to our arrival at the scene

Around 12:30 PM, a squad of at least seven terrorists opened fire on a civilian bus. While the bullets injured 14 passengers, the bus driver remained cool under pressure: He speed up and simultaneously  reported the incident. Meanwhile, the same terrorists opened fire on two other civilian vehicles, four adults in their mid-50s were killed at gun point in one of the cars. A civilian was killed and another injured in a separate vehicle that had flipped over. A bus driving near the incidents was blown to pieces after a terrorist detonated an explosive device, killing the bus driver.

Photos from multi-pronged terror attack on Israeli civilians. Photo: Ariel Hermoni, Israeli Defense Ministry.

Continue reading “A Day in the Life of Captain Z., Explosives Ordnance Disposal Officer” »

A short while ago, IAF aircraft targeted a squad of terrorists in the northern Gaza Strip, shortly after they launched mortar shells at Israel. A hit was confirmed.

The IDF will not tolerate any attempts to harm Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers, and will respond with determination to any attempt to use terror against the State of Israel. The IDF holds the Hamas terrorist organization solely responsible for any terrorist activity emanating from the Gaza Strip.