Israeli tank accidentally fires 'at Egyptian position' as IDF expresses 'sorrow' after border guards injured in blast
22 October 2023, 19:52 | Updated: 22 October 2023, 19:53
The Israeli Defence Forces said it had hit an “Egyptian position near the border” in a statement on Sunday.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
An IDF tank accidentally hit at the “Egyptian border” near Gaza, a spokesperson for the military said.
“A short while ago, an IDF tank accidentally fired and hit an Egyptian post adjacent to the border in the area of Kerem Shalom,” the statement read.
“The incident is being investigated and the details are under review. The IDF expresses sorrow regarding the incident."
An Egyptian spokesperson confirmed border guards sustained minor injuries after being hit by fragments of the shell fired by the Israeli tank.
The Egyptian army said Israel had “'immediately expressed its regret over the unintentional incident and an investigation is underway”.
Egyptian media said the accidental strike from the IDF would not impact the movement of aid into Gaza.
It comes after Egypt’s Rafah border crossing opened for the first time on Saturday allowing the first batch of humanitarian aid to trickle into Gaza.
Read more: UK terror attack linked to Gaza 'has already been carried out' as asylum seeker arrested
Egyptian media said the accidental strike from the IDF would not impact the movement of aid into Gaza. territory after 20 entered on Saturday.
It was the first time the crossing had opened since Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7.
It follows the IDF’s continued attacks on Gaza overnight into Sunday, as Hamas claimed 55 people were killed.
Israel has repeatedly hinted at a ground invasion that will see its troop enter the dense urban environment, which sits on top of a miles-long underground tunnel system dubbed the "Gaza metro".
Israeli troops have massed outside the strip as their defence minister Yoav Gallant promised they would soon see it from "inside".
