Five Israeli officers and soldiers were wounded Tuesday morning when terrorists fired anti-tank missiles at the troops who were operating in eastern Rafah, adjacent to the Humanitarian Route.
The forces were tracking down and killing terrorists in the area when they were attacked. Following the incident, the IDF worked to kill the operatives behind the ambush and closed a humanitarian aid delivery route.
An officer from the IDF Medical Corps and a paramedic in the reserves from the Givati Reconnaissance unit were severely wounded, the IDF said.
Another officer sustained moderate wounds and two soldiers had minor injuries.
All were taken to a hospital and their families were notified.
In response, the IDF said it temporarily closed a route leading from the Kerem Shalom crossing to the humanitarian zone in southern Gaza “as the area now constitutes an active combat zone.”
The Kerem Shalom Crossing and the other entry routes for humanitarian aid continued operating as usual.
“Terror activity in humanitarian areas and areas where the population is concentrated harms humanitarian coordination and the distribution of aid,” the IDF said.
“The terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip continue to use any opportunity to carry out attacks against IDF soldiers at the expense of Gazan civilians, including by abusing humanitarian routes and aid designated for the civilian population.”
