Israel's defense establishment cleared for publication on Sunday the recent arrest of the leader of a Palestinian terror cell tasked with subduing and kidnapping additional Israeli soldiers to the Gaza Strip.
The 21-year-old terrorist was arrested in September after having infiltrated southern Israel via the Sinai Peninsula, reported Ynet. He entered Sinai through the network of smuggling tunnels running under the southern Gaza border.
The terrorist said he was sent by Hamas, which instructed him to use tranquilizers, dozens of which were found in his possession, to knock out Israeli soldiers, who would then be smuggled back into Gaza through the Sinai.
The soldiers were then to be used as bargaining chips to win the release of more jailed Palestinian terrorists.
In other terror related news, an Israeli Parks Authority inspector prevented a knife-wielding Arab man from stabbing anyone at a tourist site near Jerusalem's Mount of Olives.
The Israeli drew his firearm and arrested the Arab man after noticing him approaching with a large knife in his hand.