IDF kills Hamas sniper who posed immediate threat to troops in northern Gaza

Channel 12 News reported earlier Tuesday that the multinational force is not expected to begin entering Gaza before October.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

IDF troops killed a Hamas sniper near the Yellow Line in the northern Gaza Strip on Tuesday after the military said the terrorist violated the ceasefire and posed an immediate threat to Israeli forces operating in the area.

Soldiers identified the Hamas terrorist and opened fire after determining that he endangered troops, according to the IDF.

The military said the sniper was hit.

Southern Command forces remain deployed in the area under the terms of the agreement, the IDF said, adding that troops will continue acting against immediate threats.

The incident came as questions remain over the implementation of a proposed 15-point plan for Gaza and the timetable for deploying a multinational force in the territory.

Channel 12 News reported earlier Tuesday that the multinational force is not expected to begin entering Gaza before October.

Its deployment could be postponed until after Israel’s elections, according to the report.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday objected to elements of the proposed Gaza plan, calling for Hamas to surrender its weapons before Israeli forces withdraw.

Under the current proposal, the withdrawal of Israeli troops would take place in stages while Hamas weapons are relinquished gradually.

Israel is demanding what it describes as “real” disarmament, including an accounting of concealed weapons and lighter arms. The existing 15-point proposal initially concentrates on heavy weaponry, weapons-production facilities and tunnel networks.

The dispute centers on the sequencing and extent of disarmament and withdrawal. Netanyahu’s position would require Hamas to disarm before Israeli troops pull back, rather than having the two processes proceed in phases.