An Israeli soldier was killed and several soldiers were wounded near the Gaza Strip, when a routine motorized patrol drove over a roadside bomb, Arab media outlets reported on Tuesday morning.
Immediately after the incident, Israeli soldiers exchanged fire with Palestinian snipers located on the other side of the border, Palestinian sources said. Eyewitnesses added they saw a number of Israeli helicopters and ground units entering the Gaza Strip following the incident.
Four rockets were also fired from the Gaza Strip onto Israel, causing no damage, the Hamas website reported, quoting local sources.
It is not yet known which organization was behind this morning’s attack, although Israeli military sources have already blamed Hamas for this violation of the temporary truce.
Meanwhile, the London-based dailies A-Sharq Al-Awsat and Al-Hayyat reported this morning that Israel and Hamas have come close to reaching an 18-month truce.
Communicating through the Egyptian mediator ‘Umar Suleiman, the two sides have reportedly are close to reaching an understanding, according to which the truce would begin on February 5, and would involve the opening of all the border crossings “to full capacity.”
Hamas has, however, opposed an Israeli demand to include in the deal the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit.
Gilad’s father, Noam Shalit, will meet with French President Nicolas Sarkozy today. The latter invited Shalit for a meeting in Paris to discuss his latest efforts to have his son released.