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Itongadol.- Snipers in the Gaza Strip opened fire on an IDF force securing laborers doing work on the border fence on Wednesday, the IDF Spokesman\’s Office said.
There were no immediate reports of injuries in the incident.
In response to the fire, the IDF said that it carried out attacks on relevant targets in Gaza, with both tank fire and an air strike. The incident occurred on the border between Israel and southern Gaza. Israel\’s return fire targeted Hamas positions.
Farmers in the Eshkol Regional Council and Sdot Negev Regional Council were instructed to halt their work within a kilometer of the Gaza border fence.
Hamas media reported that a Hamas field commander, Tayseer Asmairi, was killed by the IDF fire and several people were injured.
Hamas warned Israel that it was "playing with fire," calling the incident "a grave escalation." The Hamas statement added: "The occupation is fully responsible for all of the consequences of the escalation. The resistance has a right to defend itself and its people."
The incident comes after a rocket was fired from Gaza into southern Israel on Friday, prompting the first IAF retaliatory strikes in the Strip since Operation Protective Edge ended in August.