IDF Civilian worker killed at Gaza border

by Ari Yashar, Arutz Sheva Staff

A civilian worker for the IDF was shot by sniper fire near Gaza, where he was working between Nachal Oz and Kfar Aza. The worker was evacuated to Be'er Sheva's Soroka Hospital.

The worker was fixing the security fence that was revealed to have holes and damage in it, caused by the recent snow and rainstorm. Soldiers have reported that repairs have been slow or non-existent, creating a security threat.

The IDF is searching the area to find suspects involved in the incident.

MK Yoni Chetboun (Jewish Home) said in response to the attack "the series of terror in the recent weeks leads to one clear conclusion - the motivation of terrorist organizations is only growing."

"This is not a classic intifada, there's a new template of 'trickling terror' here," commented Chetboun. "The clear conclusion and code word is deterrence. Security forces must make surgical strikes to remove and hit the terror centers. Otherwise, the trickle will turn into a flood."

As MK Chetboun mentioned, the attack is part of a recent string of terrorist violence. Statistics released Monday show that terror attacks have spiked in November as peace talks resumed.

On Monday afternoon a police officer was stabbed by an Arab terrorist. The officer's condition has stabilized following surgery, in what doctors described as a great miracle given that the 15 centimeter (6 inch) knife struck very close to the officer’s heart and other vital organs.

Additionally a firebomb was thrown at a Nazareth resident's car Monday evening. No injuries or damage was reported.

On Sunday, a bomb exploded on a Bat Yam bus. Only one was wounded, as the alert driver and passengers were able to spot the danger before it was too late.

Meanwhile on Saturday the IDF shot and wounded a terrorist in Gaza who was trying to conceal an explosive on the security fence.

The incident came just a day after clashes on the Gazan border Friday, in which terrorists threw rocks at soldiers by the border near Beit Hanun and fired a mortar which, according to reports, hit the Shaar HaNegev regional council.

In response to the Bat Yam bombing, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni (Hatnua), who is responsible for the ongoing peace talks, said the terrorism should be ignored and talks should continue. 

ALSO:

 IDF Prepares for Gaza Escalation

IDF pauses after six counter-terror airstrikes. ‘We’re weighing our next steps,’ commander says.

 By Maayana Miskin and Ari Soffer

12/24/2013, 7:31 PM

A senior IDF commander spoke Tuesday evening about the fatal terrorist shooting near Gaza earlier in the day, and the IDF’s expected response.

[...]

The IDF has been active in the Gaza region since Tuesday afternoon, he said.

During the afternoon the IDF hit six targets in Gaza linked to terrorist groups. “The targets we attacked belong to the Islamic Jihad and Hamas,” the commander said.

Sources in Gaza say at least two people were killed in the strikes, one of them a child.

Now, the commander said, “we are considering our next steps.” The IDF “is extremely prepared for any scenario that develops,” he declared.

The last major counter-terror operation in Gaza was Operation Pillar of Defense (Amud Anan) in late 2012. Pillar of Defense followed a massive rocket barrage on Israeli civilian communities, coupled with attacks on IDF soldiers within Israel.

Following today's violence, Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon stressed that Israel held Gaza's Islamist rulers responsible for violence emanating from the territory under its control....

Much more here.