Abu Ranim, said to be “unstable,” is a resident of a Bedouin village in the Negev.
The IDF said an Israeli Bedouin man was spotted crossing the border fence into the Gaza Strip and is believed to still be inside the Hamas-controlled territory.
The man has been named as Abu Ranim, 19, from a Bedouin village in the Negev.
The IDF said it was investigating the circumstances of Tuesday’s incident.
“We in the family are all heartbroken, we have no family or friends in Gaza so we have no idea what he was looking for there,” said his brother Haled.
Israel and Hamas are bitter enemies, and Israelis are barred from entering Gaza.
Hamas is believed to be holding two other Israeli civilians who crossed through the heavily-guarded border fence, one of them a Bedouin and the other is of Ethiopian origin who suffers from mental illness.
Hamas’ Interior Ministry declined comment.
By: AP and World Israel News Staff