3 Israeli Soldiers, Egyptian Border Guard Killed in Cross-Border Firefight
A rare outbreak of violence occurred along the normally peaceful Israel-Egypt southern border on Saturday, leaving three Israeli soldiers and an Egyptian border guard dead, according to official statements.
The Israeli military reported that the deadly encounter started when Israeli soldiers thwarted a drug-smuggling attempt across the border. Hours later, two Israeli soldiers were found shot and killed at a guardpost along the border. Israel then launched a manhunt for the alleged assailant, an Egyptian border guard who shot and killed a third Israeli soldier before he, himself was killed.
The Israeli soldiers were identified as Staff Sgt. Ohad Dahan, 20; Sgt. Lia Ben Nun, 19; and Staff Sgt. Ori Yitzhak Iluz, 20, all from the Bardelas Battalion.
The Egyptian officer has not been publicly named.
The unusual violent flare-up along this frontier is the first in over a decade. Despite occasional cross-border criminal activities and the presence of terrorist groups in Egypt’s northern Sinai, the 1979 peace agreement between the two nations has largely maintained a peaceful border.
Israel’s army spokesperson Lt. Col. Richard Hecht announced that a joint investigation with the Egyptian army is underway. Egyptian Defense Minister Gen. Mohamed Zaki has been in contact with his Israeli counterpart to discuss measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The incident reportedly took place near the Nitzana border crossing, a key route for goods entering Israel and the Gaza Strip from Egypt.
