The Hebrew newspaper Maariv revealed on Sunday the results of the Israeli army's preliminary investigation into the operation carried out by an Egyptian policeman near the Al-Awja crossing, which resulted in the death of 3 Israeli soldiers on the border between Egypt and Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the incident as terrorist and dangerous.

The newspaper reported, citing the preliminary investigation, that the Egyptian recruit planned the attack accurately and may have received planning assistance.

Maariv said the recruit walked 5 kilometers from his position in Egyptian territory amid very difficult terrain, she said.

It said the perpetrator planned the infiltration route and identified the soldiers' location, which is about 150 meters from the emergency corridor in the border fence.

The Israeli military said that two soldiers were initially killed hours after they took part in an operation to thwart an attempt to smuggle large quantities of drugs, noting that the perpetrator of the operation was an Egyptian policeman.

The army later added that a third soldier was killed and an officer wounded during a clash that took place while pursuing the attacker into Israeli territory, which also killed the perpetrator.

The Israeli military said the Egyptian policeman entered through an emergency crossing in the security fence on the border with Egypt.

In turn, the Israeli Army Radio said that the two soldiers who were killed first near the border did not fire from their weapons and "it seems that the perpetrator of the attack surprised them," noting that a drone spotted the shooter at a depth of one and a half kilometers inside Israeli territory.

The Egyptian military spokesman explained that Israeli soldiers were killed in a clash while an Egyptian security man chased drug smugglers at the Al-Awja crossing.

However, the Egyptian military spokesman's account raised objections from the Israeli side, which now speaks of a planned operation.

Netanyahu described the operation in which the three Israeli soldiers were killed on the border with Egypt as dangerous (French)

Dangerous operation

During today's weekly cabinet meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the killing of the three Israeli soldiers by an Egyptian security officer
a terrorist attack and called for a comprehensive joint investigation with Egypt.

Netanyahu told the cabinet about Saturday's incident in televised remarks: "Israel has sent a clear message to the Egyptian government
. We expect the joint investigation to be thorough and detailed."

"We will modernise the procedures and methods of operations, as well as measures aimed at minimizing smuggling operations and ensuring that such tragic terrorist attacks do not recur," he said.

The Israeli prime minister said his government would draw conclusions from the operation, which he described as dangerous.

IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevy described what happened on the border with Egypt as dangerous and very cruel.

Halevy said that the army is conducting an in-depth and fundamental investigation into the incident with the Egyptian army, and lessons will be drawn.

The Israeli military spokesman said Halevy had conducted an investigation and field assessment at the scene with the commander of the Southern Command and the commander of the 80th Division responsible for the area.


Joint investigation

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said the incident was being investigated in full and close cooperation with the Egyptian military.

In Cairo, an Egyptian military spokesman said Defense Minister and Military Production General Mohamed Zaki had made a phone call to his Israeli counterpart Yoav Galant to discuss the circumstances of the border incident and coordinate to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.

Israeli media said Egypt had told the Israeli side that it was not aware of the intentions of the attacker.

For its part, the Israel Broadcasting Corporation said that Galant spoke with Zaki and explained to him that the relationship between the two parties is very important.

According to the body, the Israeli defense minister assured his Egyptian counterpart that cooperation in the investigation of what he described as a serious attack is of great importance to the relationship between the two countries.

According to Israeli military and media sources, the Egyptian and Israeli armies have begun a field investigation into the scene of the incident to determine the circumstances of what happened.

Meanwhile, Israeli Army Radio quoted Likud MK Danny Danon as saying Egypt's announcement on the border attack was shameful.

The Israeli army had sent reinforcements to the area where the operation took place, while the Israeli police announced the closure of all roads and axes leading to the border with Egypt.