4-6-2023 (JERUSALEM/CAIRO) In a rare occurrence, three Israeli soldiers and an Egyptian security officer were tragically killed near the border between the two countries on Saturday. Israel and Egypt are jointly investigating the incident to determine the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
According to the Israeli military, two soldiers were shot and killed by an Egyptian policeman while they were securing a military post along the Egyptian border early Saturday. Several hours later, an Egyptian officer and a third Israeli soldier lost their lives in a confrontation that took place within Israeli territory.
The Egyptian military stated that the exchange of fire occurred as the security officer pursued smugglers across the frontier, resulting in the deaths of three Israeli personnel and the Egyptian officer.
Both Egyptian and Israeli officials are collaborating closely to investigate the incident thoroughly. The Israeli military, along with two Egyptian security sources, confirmed the joint efforts.
The Israeli military expressed uncertainty regarding how the Egyptian officer managed to cross the border fence, prompting soldiers to conduct a search in the area to ensure there were no additional assailants.
A spokesperson for the Israeli military provided details of the initial incident, stating that two soldiers were shot while on duty in a sparsely populated area in the Negev desert along the Egyptian border. When the soldiers failed to respond to radio communication, their bodies were discovered.
Once the military became aware that the incident was ongoing, they identified an infiltration into Israeli territory, leading to a gunfight that resulted in the deaths of the assailant, an Egyptian policeman, and the third Israeli soldier.
Israel’s Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, conducted a situational assessment with the chief of staff and emphasized that a thorough investigation would be conducted into the event.
It is worth noting that Egypt was the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel in 1979.
The Israeli military spokesperson acknowledged that drug smuggling attempts in the area were frequent, but the last known infiltration into Israel occurred approximately 10 years ago.
