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Lebanese TV airs footage of Gaza sniper shooting IDF officer in helmet Two weeks after company commander injured in attack, Iran-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad confirms firing the shot
A Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese news outlet on Sunday broadcast previously unaired footage of the moment a Palestinian sniper in the Gaza Strip shot an Israeli officer in the helmet last month, causing him light injuries.
On January 22, a gunman from the Iran-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group fired at the Paratroopers Brigade company commander during a riot along the southern Gaza border. The bullet struck the officerโs helmet, which saved his life.
In the video, aired by Al-Mayadeen, the officer can be seen firing his rifle from a berm across from the Gaza border. A moment later, a gunshot is heard, and the sniperโs bullet is seen striking the servicemanโs helmet, sending up a cloud of smoke and debris. He then grabs his head and takes cover.
Speaking to the pro-Hezbollah news outlet, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Islamic Jihad confirmed suspicions that the terror groupโs military wing Saraya al-Quds was behind the attack.
The injured officer was taken to Beerhshebaโs Soroka Medical Center for treatment. A cut on his head was bandaged, and he was released hours later, the hospital said.
The attack, which came amid already heightened tensions, threatened to push Israel to another war in Gaza. The Stripโs terrorist Hamas rulers later condemned the shooting and launched an investigation to determine who was behind it.
In response to the sniper attack, an Israel Defense Forces tank immediately destroyed an observation post belonging to Hamas in eastern Gaza, near the el-Bureij refugee camp. Hours later, the Israeli Air Force targeted an additional Hamas site in the coastal enclave.
According to Hamas, one of its fighters was killed in the initial tank strike on the terror groupโs position and two other members were injured, one of them seriously.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Hamas that it would launch a military campaign unless violence along the Gaza border ends, irrespective of the upcoming April 9 election.
Earlier on Saturday, Egypt reportedly agreed to permanently reopen its border crossing with the Gaza Strip if Hamas restrains clashes with Israeli troops.
The Rafah crossing was closed in early January after the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority withdrew its employees there, then was reopened in both directions on Tuesday.
On Friday, Egyptโs offer was relayed to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh during a meeting in Gaza with Egyptian intelligence officials and UNโs Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov, according to Ynet news site.
Quoting unnamed Palestinian sources, the report said that reopening the crossing on a permanent basis was intended as a concession to Hamas to curb violent protests along the border.
For the past several months, Egypt, the UN and Qatar have worked to preserve calm in Gaza and prevent flareups between Israel and terror groups in the Strip.
Since March, Palestinians have been holding regular protests on the border. Israel has accused Gazaโs Hamas rulers of using the demonstrations as a cover for attacks on troops and attempts to breach the security fence.
Israel has demanded an end to the violent demonstrations along the border in any ceasefire agreement.
ืจืฉืช ืื ืืืืืื ืืืื ืื ืืช, ืืืืืื ืขื ืืืืืืืื ืืคืจืกืืช ืืืื (ืจืืฉืื) ืชืืขืื ืฉื ืืืจืืข ืืืจื ืฉืืชืจืืฉ ืืคื ื ืืฉืืืขืืื (22 ืืื ืืืจ) ืืืจืื ืจืฆืืขื ืขืื ืื ื ืคืฆืข ื"ืค ืฆื ืื ืื ืืืืจื ืงื.
ืืชืืขืื ื ืจืื ืืงืฆืื ืืืฆืข ืืจื ืืขืืจ ืืคืืื ืื ืคืืกืืื ืื ืืืืื ืืคืื ื ืืืืื, ืืื ืืชืืฆืข ืืจื ืฉืคืืืข ืืฉืืจืืช ืืงืกืื ืฉืขื ืจืืฉื. ืืงืฆืื ืืืืืจ ื ืคืฆืข ืืืืจื ืงื ืืคืื ื ืืืืช ืืืืืื ืกืืจืืงื ืืืืจ ืฉืืข ืืืืืจ ืืืคืื ืจืคืืื ืฉืงืืื ืฉืืืจืจ ืขืื ืืืืชื ืืืื ืืืืชื.
ืืืืจ ืื'ืืืื ืืืกืืืื, ืืืกืขื ืื-ืืจืื ืืืจ, "ืืืืื ืืืฉืจืืื ืืื ืื ืฉืืคืขืื ืืช ืกืืื ืืืจืืจ ืืืจืืขืื ืืืืชืจ ื ืื ืืคืืกืืื ืื, ืืืื ืื ืืืืชื ื ืืคืขืื ืืืจื ืืืชื ืืืืช". ืืื ืฆืืื ืื ืืืืจืืข ืืื ืื ืงืฉืจ ืืืจืืื ื'ืืืื ืืืืกืืืื ืื ืืืืืฉ ืื ืื ืืืืชื ืฉื ืืขื ืืคืืกืืื ื ืืืชื ืื "ืืืจืืจ ืืืฉืจืืื", ืืืฉืื ื.
ืืืืืจ ืฆื"ื ื ืืกืจ ืืืืจ ืืืจืืข ืืืจื ืื ื ืคืฆืข ืืงืฆืื ืื, "ืืชืืงืืจ ืจืืฉืื ื ืืฉืื ืขืืื ืื ืืืืื ืืคืจืช ืกืืจ ืฉืืืื ืืืืื ืืื ืื ืืืื ืคืชื ืืืฉ ืืขืืจ ืืืืื ืฆื"ื. ืืืืจ ืคืืข ืืงืกืืช ืงืฆืื ืฆื"ื ืฉืคืขื ืื ืงืืื. ืืงืฆืื ื ืคืฆืข ืืืืจื ืงื ืืคืื ื ืืงืืืช ืืืคืื ืจืคืืื ืืืืช ืืืืื." dk296aOYKNg |