Official sources reported an unusual incident in the Negev desert, near the Israel-Egypt border, where three Israeli soldiers were killed by an Egyptian policeman who was later shot dead. The Egyptian military explained that the policeman was pursuing drug traffickers when he crossed a border checkpoint, and an exchange of fire with Israeli forces ensued, resulting in three deaths on the Israeli side.
Initially, the bodies of two Israeli soldiers were found at a guard post near the Harif military base in southern Gaza, near the border with Egypt. The attacker apparently infiltrated Egypt. Later, during the search, Israeli forces identified the attacker in Israeli territory, and an additional firefight ensued, in which the assailant and another Israeli soldier were killed and another soldier was wounded.
One of the soldiers killed in the first attack was a 19-year-old woman named Lia Ben Nun, but the identity of the third soldier killed was not provided. The Israeli military is conducting an investigation in collaboration with the Egyptian army to determine how the Egyptian agent was able to cross the border barrier.
There are still unclarified aspects to both incidents, including the motivations of the attacker and whether other individuals managed to enter Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the incident serious and unusual and promised a full investigation. He and other officials stressed the importance of cooperation and relations with Egypt, a country that has maintained a peace treaty with Israel since 1979.
The Israel-Egypt border has been the scene of drug smuggling attempts in recent years, leading to armed clashes between smugglers and Israeli forces stationed on the border. Although no direct connection has been established, hours before the attack, a drug smuggling operation had been foiled at the border, suggesting a possible related context.