Israeli military says three suspects killed near Rafah security fence

The Israeli military said three suspects were killed near the security fence separating the southern Gaza Strip from Israel.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a message posted on Telegram that “several suspects… approached the border from the Gaza Strip and headed toward Israel in an attempt to cross the security zone into the Rafah region.

According to the message, IDF troops “engaged in combat against the terrorists who opened fire on them. The troops then retaliated against the terrorists.”

Two of the suspects were killed by an “Israeli Air Force plane that was monitoring the terrorist cell” while another was shot down by a tank shortly after, the Israeli military said, stressing that the suspects had not crossed the fence. “The incident is being investigated,” he added.

It was not initially possible to independently verify the Israeli statement.

The war in Gaza was sparked by the unprecedented massacre carried out by Hamas militants and other Palestinian extremist organizations in Israel, near the border with the Gaza Strip, on October 7.

Militants have killed more than 1,200 people and kidnapped more than 250 hostages in the Gaza Strip.

Israel responded with massive airstrikes and a ground offensive. According to Hamas-controlled health authorities, 36,550 people have been killed so far and 82,959 others have been injured.