Israel fears Hamas is tracking visits to south by senior officials

The defense establishment is concerned that Hamas has been able to identify when senior officials and IDF officers are visiting Israeli communities in the area surrounding the Gaza Strip.

On several recent occasions, the organization has fired rockets and mortar shells at kibbutzim in the area exactly when they were being visited by high-ranking officials.

The death of Daniel Trageman, the four-year-old boy from Kibbutz Nahal Oz who was killed by a mortar shell on Friday, coincided with a visit to the kibbutz by Chief of Staff Benny Gants.

On Saturday, mortar fire was directed at the kibbutz during a visit by GOC Southern Command Sammi Turgeman.

A planned visit to the kibbutz on Saturday by Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon was cancelled at the last minute after security agents preparing for the visit came under fire. Ya'alon had previously visited other kibbutzim in the area.



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