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At least five Israelis killed in terror attacks near Eilat
Dozens wounded in three near-simultaneous, coordinated attacks on Israeli vehicles • Eyewitnesses: Egyptian soldiers fired at us from their side of the border • Israel Police raise alert level across the whole country.
Israel Hayom Staff
IDF troops deploy to the south.
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Photo credit: Channel 10
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At least five Israelis, four from the same family, were reportedly killed and at least 26 wounded in a series of three near-simultaneous, coordinated terror attacks against Israeli vehicles traveling near the Egyptian border in Israel's southern region on Thursday afternoon.
Four of the dead were reported to be from a family traveling in their private vehicle near the Egyptian border, when an RPG rocket hit their car.
All the wounded from the attacks were initially taken to Yoseftal hospital in Eilat, and then transferred to Soroka hospital in Beersheba, which has more advanced surgical facilities.
Three terrorists comprising one cell were reported killed in an exchange of fire with Israeli Special Forces following the initial attacks. As the day continued, Israeli forces battled at least one other terror cell, and some three hours after the initial attack, the incident was not under control. IDF Spokesperson Brig.-Gen. Yoav (Poli) Mordechai said the terror cell responsible for the attacks was "large and divided into several units."
Defense Minister Ehud Barak called the incident a "serious terror attack, which shows the weakness of Egyptian authority in the Sinai Peninsula."
Speaking at a situation assessment with the IDF General Staff at the Kiriya military headquarters in Tel-Aviv on Thursday afternoon, Barak said the source of the attacks, which occurred near Israel's border with Egypt, was in Gaza, and that Israel would act harshly against the source of the attacks.
Egyptian authorities have denied all connection to the attacks, saying no fire emanated from inside Egyptian territory,
Channel 10TV reported. Israeli witnesses said they saw Egyptian soldiers, in camouflage uniforms, firing on their vehicles.The army declared the area a closed military zone as special police and military units battled the terrorists. One terror cell was reportedly subdued some two hours after the initial attack took place. Medical emergency crews could not reach several of the severely wounded from some of the attacks due to the heavy exchanges of fire in the area.
The Israel Police have raised the alert level across the whole country, and hospitals have asked the public to donate blood.
The first attack occurred shortly after noon when a cell of two to three gunmen opened fire on Egged bus No. 392, headed from Beersheba toward the southern Israeli resort town of Eilat along Highway 12, about 30 kilometers north of Eilat near the Netafim Junction. The bus was full of soldiers, who returned fire at the attacking car. The bus driver continued driving, and reported that his bus came under fire not just from the passing car, but from inside the Egyptian border as well. The exchange of fire lasted three to four minutes. One Israeli was reportedly killed and four others were wounded. Twenty people suffered from shock.
The attacking car fled and was reported to be involved in another incident several minutes later, firing at several other Israeli cars and another bus. Israeli special police forces were reported to have caught up with the suspected car and engaged the gunmen. At least one of the terrorists was reported to have been killed in the exchange of fire.
Several minutes after the first attack, an Israeli military patrol vehicle was hit by a series of bombs detonated on the road near the Egyptian border along the Philadelphi Corridor. There are reports of casualties from this incident, and exchanges of fire following the attack.
The third attack occurred around 1:15 p.m. when mortar shells were fired into Israel from the Egyptian side of the border, and anti-tank rockets were fired at Israeli vehicles, possibly military. Casualties were reported in this attack too.Passengers were evacuated from the first bus after the shooting, and large numbers of soldiers and police were deployed in the area in pursuit of the suspects.
Roadblocks were set up in some major intersections in southern Israel and the road to Eilat was cordoned off by security forces. Road 90, the Arava road, was also blocked.
There were conflicting reports as to whether the gunmen opened fire on the fist bus from within Israeli territory or from Egyptian territory. One woman, who identifed herself on Israel's Channel 1 only as Sarah, said her car came under fire by an Egyptian soldier manning a small military outpost inside Egyptian territory. "He was lying down in battle position, aimed his weapon at our car, and fired off several shots. About five bullets hit my car. It is a miracle that my two children, who were sitting in the back seat were not killed," Sarah, the witness, told the television station.A spokesman for Magen David Adom emergency services said that the seven people injured in the first attack suffered gunshot wounds to their arms and legs and were taken to Yoseftal Medical Center in Eilat. Their injuries were listed at light to moderate.
Dr. Kobi Arad, from Yoseftal hospital, said that 11 people were brought to the center, and one of them was seriously hurt. Arad could not say how many people had been wounded in each attack.
Israel Radio reported that there was a general warning issued recently about terrorists trying to infiltrate into Israel, but there were no specific warnings issued about when or where the attacks might take place. Israel's security establishment has recently warned of the consequences of increased lawlessness in the Sinai Peninsula following the revolution that removed Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak from power. Channel 1 reported that al-Qaida elements have increased their presence in the peninsula in an attempt to turn the area into an Islamic emirate.
Egypt on Sunday sent hundreds of soldiers and police officers into the Sinai desert in an attempt to expel al-Qaida terrorist cells and hostile Bedouin gangs operating in the area. The move, code-named "Operation Eagle," utilized some 200 armored personnel carriers.Egyptian authorities hope to restore order in Sinai, which has become a chaotic staging ground for terrorist activities since the Egyptian revolution earlier this year, including several attacks against the gas pipeline delivering gas to Israel and Jordan
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