The sources said the buffer zone was 300 meters wide and prohibited to
all civilians, Middle East Newsline reported. They said potential infiltrators could be spotted more than a
kilometer from the Israeli border through the use of ground radar and
unmanned aerial vehicles.
Most of the infiltration attempts and attacks have been reported from
northern Gaza, near Gaza City. Military sources said Hamas and its
Palestinian militia allies have favored the northern route because of its
proximity to 34 Israeli communities. Last year, more than 100
infiltrations were attempted along the Israeli border.
The buffer zone has been cleared with both manned and unmanned patrols.
The zone has been ringed by army towers, which contains sensors, cameras and
remote-control heavy machine guns.
The military operates a larger one-kilometer wide strip where all
intruders are tracked. Those identified as Hamas or other Palestinian
attackers have been targeted by main battle tanks, mortars and helicopters.
The sources said the buffer zone has been hampered by fog and
Palestinian tunnels. They said the military was seeking systems that could
operate through fog as well as detect underground activity.