While Israel mourns, the focus of yesterday's attack has shifted to the language used by Egyptian officials to describe the events. In several official statements so far, the Egyptian government has not called this an act of terror or even admitted it was planned despite the evidence proving otherwise. The ongoing investigation reveals that there is no doubt that the Egyptian officer who committed the murder planned it out and had intended to carry it out. The equipment found on the Egyptian officer and in the area he chose to hide in suggests that he arrived in the area taking advantage of being stationed there on behalf of the Egyptian police. It is possible that the policeman knew about the drug smuggling in the area even before he set out to carry out the attack.
The equipment in the area contained a bag with ammunition and tools, designed to allow the terrorist to penetrate the fence through a regulated opening known only to those who serve there. He came with a knife to cut a gap in the passage in the fence that was previously intended for wild animals, and from there he entered the territory of Israel which indicates his very deep familiarity with the territory.
3 #IDF soldiers killed in #Egypt border shooting
ā i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) June 4, 2023
'Both countries value the relationship settled on this border... The fact this has become a peaceful border is of strategic importance for Israel. Both countries are interested in clarifying this,' says @ShekDaniel pic.twitter.com/Qi3YCPzCqp
After opening the passage in the fence and crawling in, he found a location within Israel near the border fence to hide out in, waited in it through the early morning for a reasonable time when the IDF troops patrolling the area had their guard down, and then opened fire on them. The terrorist returned and hid for additional hours until additional forces arrived to search the site for the two missing soldiers who had failed to check in as scheduled. This was a sign that the officer knew the behavior of the forces in the field and how they would act and react.
After two bodies were identified and while the IDF tried to understand what happened, large forces arrived in the area where the terrorist was. The Egyptian then came out from his hiding place and fired a shot that killed another Israeli soldier. After that, he returned to his hiding place, and when the soldiers finally tracked him down, he launched another attack against the Israeli forces, resulting in him mortally wounded. In Egypt, they continue to officially disavow the incident and refuse to call it an act of terror, despite a completely different discourse in front of the political and military echelon with the Israelis which is silenced for fear of harming relations. In fact, official statements of the incident call it an 'accident', claiming that the Egyptian officer crossed into Israel without knowing it while pursuing drug smugglers, something that is impossible given the security fence and the equipment he had to cut through it.
Israel says it was an Egyptian policeman turned terrorist that crossed border and shot dead 3 Israeli soldiers, who never returned fired.
ā James J. Marlow (@James_J_Marlow) June 3, 2023
Egypt says their soldiers crossed border pursuing drug smugglers and somehow 3 Israel soldiers were killed.
Investigations have now begun. pic.twitter.com/TM3nhlmA1D
Sunday morning, the IDF spokesman published the funeral dates of the three soldiers, including the female combat soldier who was killed. The funeral of the late Sergeant Leah Ben Nun will be held today at 4:30 PM at the military cemetery in the city of Rishon Lezion. The funeral of the late First Sergeant Uri Yitzhak Iloz will be held today at 5:00 PM at the military cemetery in the city of Safed. The funeral of the late First Sergeant Ohad Shimon Dahan will also be held today at 5:00 PM at the military cemetery in the city of Ofakim.
