The security coordinator of Shokeda, a religious moshav in the Sdot Negev Regional Council, caught an armed Palestinian on Sunday. Police believe the suspect, carrying a knife and a gimlet, entered from the Gaza Strip into the Nahal Oz area and walked to Shokeda – some seven kilometers from the border.

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The suspect was transferred to the custody of security forces. The incident occurred after many of the communities on the Gaza border reported low levels of visitors to the region.

Palestinian caught on Gaza border (Photo: Radi Babian)

Rafi Bavian, the head of security for the regional council who was present during the Gazan's arrest, said: "We were informed by the IDF that there was a possible infiltration attempt and our local system came into action. We identified the suspect east of our communities, searched him and found a knife.

"He did not resist arrest and seemed utterly surprised we arrested him. He didn't have anything on him indicating he planned to stay in Israel and the entire event took no more than an hour and a half, but it's possible he was in Israel for longer. He was taken in for questioning by the IDF and didn't say anything besides mumbling a few incoherent words."

Head of the regional council, Tamir Idan said that "we learned that an armed Palestinian entered the council's territory. He was caught thanks to the head of security's alertness, despite the fact that the funds for the security heads in this area is under constant threat. In a month and a half his position will be downsized. "

In the past the Defense Ministry decided that the budget for security coordinators in the Israeli communities next to Gaza would be cut. The decision was slammed by local leaders as an irresponsible ploy to pressure the government to give the defense establishment additional funds.

The residents of the towns and kibbutzim which were hardest hit during Protective Edge said they believed many Israelis were concerned the ceasefire would be broken.

Amit Lavkov, the CEO of a tourism association, said over the weekend that "there are fewer tourists than last year. It slowed down. The occupancy rate of the resorts in the area is at 70 percent. People want to see the calm has actually returned and the ceasefire has lasted."

He emphasized: "The south has not returned to its tourism routine."