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Israel sets up checkpoints around Gaza to catch escapees 

September 7, 2021 at 10:07 am

Police officers search as they investigate an area where six Palestinian prisoners managed to escape from Gilboa prison overnight on September 6, 2021 [Amir Levy/Getty Images]

Israeli occupation forces set up flying checkpoints around the blockaded Gaza Strip on Monday fearing that the six Palestinian prisoners who escaped from a high-security prison overnight may try to cross into the coastal territory, Sama news agency has reported.

According to reports in the Israeli media, getting into Gaza is not easy due to the “security wall”. However, they point out that some Palestinians have been able to breach the wall and get through. It is also expected that capturing the escapees, or killing them, will lead to retaliation by the Palestinian resistance groups in Gaza and Lebanon.

Yedioth Ahranoth said that the planning and preparation for the escape would have taken months or even years. The operation was not limited to the actual escape from the prison, given that the escapees will have known that the surrounding area and the occupied West Bank would be dangerous territory for them.

Speculation about escape routes has included outside support and the possibility of taking hostages to bargain for safe passage to another country.

READ: Jordan calls to protect Palestinian escapees, says former minister

Palestinian prisoners escape from high-security prison - Cartoon [Sabaaneh/Middle East Monitor]

Palestinian prisoners escape from high-security prison – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/Middle East Monitor]