20:17 Motzei Shabbos: Earlier this evening some 40-70 Gazans defiantly crossed the Gaza border into southern Israel in the Eshkol Regional Council and continued advancing into Israel. Security forces responded quickly and surrounded them before they marched more than several tens of meters.

Four of the Gazans evaded the roundup. They were taken into custody and are being questioned. The others were pushed back into Gaza.

This may have been a test to determine how the IDF will reach to a mass border penetration from Gaza.

Elsewhere in southern Israel there were a number of Red Alert sirens on Friday night and during the day on Shabbos. An Iron Dome has been set into place in Beersheva to respond to any increase in rocket fire from Gaza towards the capital of the Negev.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)