IDF forces opened fire at Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorists who were placing a bomb on the security fence in the Khan Yunis area of the Gaza border on Sunday.

“A short while ago, IDF forces identified two terrorists who approached the perimeter fence in the southern Gaza strip and placed an explosive device near it,” the IDF spokesperson stated. “The IDF forces…opened fire toward them. A hit was identified.”

At least one terrorist was killed according to the IDF. Palestinian media reports said that both terrorists were killed.

The terrorists were responsible for placing several other explosive devices on the border in the last few months, according to the IDF spokesperson.

Shortly later the IDF opened fire again at PIJ terrorists who tried to drag the terrorists’ bodies away.

The Israeli government has implemented a policy under Defense Minister Naftali Bennett of refusing to return the bodies of terrorists as long as terror groups in the Strip continue to encourage violence against Israel

IDF forces in an armored bulldozer subsequently approached the area to defuse the explosive device and retrieve the terrorist’s body. One of the Arabs trying to drag the terrorist’s body away was seriously wounded by the bulldozer.

Viewer discretion advised for the below video due to violent content:

תגובות ראשונות של ארגוני הטרור בעזה לתקרית בגבול הרצועה: "הרצח של צעיר בגבול והההתעללות בגופתו הם פשעים מכוערים. ישראל תישא באחריות על כך", אמר דובר חמאס פוזי ברהום. גם בג'יהאד האיסלאמי הגיבו ואמרו כי "נקטע את היד שנגעה בבני עמנו כמו שקטענו אותה בעבר"@guy_telaviv

— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) February 23, 2020

#متابعة ما حدث شرق خانيونس منذ صباح اليوم، ارتقاء شهيد وانتشال إصابة خطيرة كانت بجواره وإصابة 3 مواطنين خلال محاولتهم سحب الشهيد قبل نقله من قبل جرافة عسكرية صهيونية pic.twitter.com/jNziQyokDq

— المركز الفلسطيني للإعلام (@PalinfoAr) February 23, 2020

Following the incident, PIJ publicized a statement taking responsibility for the terror incident: “The cruel crime that happened this morning in Khan Yunis by the occupation will not pass without a response…we will take revenge on the occupation for the blood of our holy ones and our response will be the bombing of Tel Aviv.”

On Wednesday, a squad of PIJ snipers fired from the Gaza strip at IDF forces inside Israel.

IDF forces and the Israeli Police Counter Terrorism Unit (Yamam) fired back at the PIJ sniper squad and a hit was identified, the IDF spokesperson said.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)