Palestinian suicide bombing at Erez Crossing, no Israeli casualities
A Palestinian suicide bomber blew up an explosives-laden truck on the Palestinian side of the Erez Crossing on the Israel-Gaza Strip border early Thursday morning (22 May). The driver was the only casualty in the attempted attack.
At a meeting with French FM Bernard Kouchner, Israeli FM Tzipi Livni said, “The attempted attack this morning at Erez Crossing Point should demonstrate to the international community that, while it demands that Israel take care of the situation in Gaza and open the crossing points, Hamas, which controls Gaza, is not interested in improving the lives of the population and doesn’t take even minimal responsibility for Gazan residents. The international community must continue to delegitimize Hamas and to support the peace process taking place with pragmatic elements.”
A Palestinian bomber from Gaza blew up an explosives-laden truck on the Palestinian side of the Erez Crossing on the Israel-Gaza Strip border early Thursday morning. The driver was the only casualty in the attempted attack. As the truck approached the border, other terrorists fired mortar shells at the crossing.
The explosion ripped a hole in a pedestrian passageway leading out of the Erez terminal and into Gaza, which was empty because of the early hour (6:45 am). Shortly after the explosion, an IAF helicopter fired a missile at a nearby jeep which was accompanying the exploding truck, killing one of the terrorists who apparently planned to use the jeep to kidnap soldiers or to penetrate across the border after the explosion. A number of homes in the Israeli community of Netiv Ha’asara were damaged as a result of the explosion.
IDF said that “The soldiers’ deployment, readiness and conduct prevented a more severe attack.” The Erez crossing will be closed until the damage can be repaired.
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