Israeli media reported that a group of roughly 14 to 17 Palestinian militants surfaced from a tunnel near the army’s 900th Battalion position close to Khan Younis in southern Gaza early Wednesday and opened fire in what the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) described as an organised attempt to kidnap soldiers from the Kfir Brigade. The IDF said its troops repelled the assault, killing eight to nine of the assailants while the remaining gunmen retreated back underground. Three Israeli soldiers were injured—one seriously and two lightly—and were airlifted to hospital by military helicopters. Israeli forces are continuing a search of the area for the attackers who escaped.