BICOM

An Israeli man from the Bedouin community yesterday scaled the border fence with the Gaza Strip and entered the Hamas-controlled territory.

IDF observation posts saw the man climbing the fence and quickly alerted infantry forces from the Givati Brigade. But by the time they reached the spot near the Besor stream, the man had already entered the adjacent Gaza town of Khan Younis. The identity of the man was not revealed, but the army did say that he was from the Bedouin community. Channel Ten reported that the man was undergoing emotional distress, without elaborating. Israeli reconnaissance planes were spotted over the area in Gaza shortly after the incident.

It is not the first time that such an incident has occurred. Two Israeli men climbed and crossed the border fence almost two years ago, although their names were only made public recently. Hisham al-Sayed, another Bedouin man, and Avera Mengistu are thought to be held by Hamas. They are both said to have a history of suffering from mental health issues.

In addition, Hamas is also believed to be holding the remains of two Israeli soldiers, Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul. Both were killed during Operation Protective Edge in summer 2014, but their bodies were never retrieved.

Recently, public pressure has grown within Israel for the return of those being held in Gaza, both dead and alive. When Israel signed a reconciliation agreement with Turkey two weeks ago, the deal stipulated that Turkey would be permitted to send large quantities of aid to Gaza. The families of those who held in Gaza argued that any agreement which aids Gaza should be tied to the fate of their loved ones. They have since held protests at the border crossings, where aid enters Gaza. They have also demonstrated outside the prisons where Hamas terrorists are being held, arguing that their privileges should be revoked until more information is provided on the Gaza captives.