IDF soldiers were reportedly clashing with Arab rioters along the southern Israeli border with northern Gaza late Sunday night.
The violence follows the “regular” weekly Friday riots in which thousands of Gazans gather at various points along the security fence to throw live grenades, explosives, flaming Molotov cocktails, burning tires and rocks at IDF soldiers deployed to defend the border.
Hamas and other allied Gaza terrorists often use the violence along the security fence as cover for attempts to infiltrate through the border into Israel and carry out attacks on the Israeli civilians living in nearby communities. But that will soon change – which may be one reason for the increased violence in recent weeks.
About 10 days ago, the IDF began working on the final component of the upgraded security barrier along the Gaza border – a stronger, higher, smart-fence – stretching from the new sea barrier at Zikkim beach to the Kerem Shalom crossing in the south. The new fence is made of galvanized steel; it will weigh about 20,000 tons and reach a height of about 20 feet (six meters).
Below the smart-fence will run a subterranean barrier with a system of advanced sensor and monitoring devices that will be able to detect tunnels. Work on the subterranean barrier is to continue in parallel to the work on the above-ground smart-fence.
The sea barrier is 200 meters long and comprised of three layers (including one below sea level also lined with seismic detectors and other equipment). A 20-foot (six meter) – high smart-fence also surrounds the breakwater.