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23130
“Possible Abduction of IDF Soldier”
by Arutz Sheva   
August 1st, 2014
Ground offensive in Gaza.
Ground offensive in Gaza.
Flash90

The IDF Spokesperson's office announced Friday that at about 9:30 am, terrorists opened fire on Israeli forces in southern Gaza and preliminary information indicates that there is a concern that a soldier was kidnapped during the fighting. 

An investigation is underway and at this time, the IDF maintains a high-level operational and intelligence effort to locate the soldier.

"We are continuing our activities on the ground," IDF Spokesman Peter Lerner stated.  "Our initial indications suggest a soldier has been abducted by terrorists in an incident where terrorists breached the ceasefire."

The soldier's family has been notified. 

Heavy fighting broke out on the outskirts of Rafah shortly after the UN and US-brokered "humanitarian ceasefire" went into effect, after a group of terrorists allegedly emerged from a tunnel and began opening heavy fire at IDF forces stationed there. 

At least one report, this time from Walla! News, says that a suicide bomber detonated himself directly next to IDF forces before the fighting began, wounding several soldiers

Intense clashes ensued; according to Palestinian media sources, thirty are killed - at least eight terrorists among them - and roughly 100 wounded.   The United Nations said two soldiers had been reported killed, apparently during the same firefight that led to the abduction.

A senior IDF commander stated on condition of anonymity that it is unclear if the missing soldier is in full health. 

"We don't know whether he was wounded during the attack," he said. 

Meanwhile, Islamic Jihad officials have been told by Egypt that talks for a long-term truce have been postponed. 

"The Egyptians contacted the Islamic Jihad and said Israel told them that a soldier has been captured," the terror group's deputy leader Ziad al-Nakhale told AFP. "The talks have been postponed."

Hamas has tried to blame the broken cease-fire on Israel, according to AFP.

"It is the occupation which violated the ceasefire. The Palestinian resistance acted based on... the right to self defense (and) to stop the
massacres of our people," Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum said in a statement.

Hamas also claimed reports of the abduction - which it has not confirmed or denied, at least in English-speaking media - were simply "justification for Israel retreating from the truce, and a cover-up for massacres especially in Rafah."

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