The Egyptian military announced on Tuesday the death of one person and the arrest of six others during a foiled drug smuggling operation south of the Al-Ouja border crossing with Israel. The Egyptian military spokesperson, in a statement, mentioned that as part of the plan to secure the northeastern international border line, a drug smuggling operation south of the Al-Ouja crossing was thwarted, involving approximately 174 kilograms of various types of narcotics.
The spokesperson further explained that the exchange of fire during the operation resulted in the death of one individual and the arrest of six smugglers.
According to a source who spoke to the Cairo News Channel, the Egyptian forces thwarted a drug smuggling attempt on the Egyptian-Israeli border. The source added that clashes occurred during the foiling of the smuggling attempt south of the Al-Ouja border crossing with Israel, leading to the arrest of six smugglers.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military reported an injury to a female soldier during an exchange of fire at the Egyptian border. The military stated that approximately 20 suspects, including several armed individuals, approached the border area near the Nitzana [Al-Ouja] crossing from Egyptian territory, where soldiers fired at the armed individuals and observed several casualties.
This incident coincides with the ongoing Israeli military operations against the Gaza Strip since October 7th. Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, initiated “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood,” launching thousands of rockets from Gaza into Israel and attacking Israeli settlements near the Gaza Strip, resulting in the death of about 1,200 Israelis and the capture of approximately 250 others.
During the battles, a seven-day ceasefire was reached through Egyptian, Qatari, and American mediation, which involved the exchange of women and children prisoners and the entry of agreed quantities of aid into the Gaza Strip. However, military operations resumed on December 1st.
Since October 7th, Israeli airstrikes and ground operations in the Gaza Strip have resulted in over 24,000 deaths and more than 60,000 injuries.
