Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman held a meeting on Monday to discuss security measures along the Gaza-Israel border in the wake of the attack in which four soldiers were injured there on Saturday.
Just three days before the attack, the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet had discussed Hamas efforts to stage provocations along the border and measures to handle the weekly Hamas-organized demonstrations in which crowds of Palestinians try to breach the border fence.
Israeli forces use riot-control measures in those incidents, and in some cases resort to live fire against rioters who breach the fence or against their leaders.
Israeli officials are worried that Hamas may be able to persuade thousands of demonstrators to take part in the clashes, which would lead to many fatalities and a rapid escalation in tensions, as well as international condemnation. Back in 2011, the Israel Defense Forces managed to contain a massive demonstration along the Syrian-Israeli border.
Meanwhile, the conditions of three of the soldiers hospitalized after Saturday's attack were improving after each underwent successful surgery. The fourth soldier is still considered seriously wounded and is in an induced coma.
One of the three soldiers whose condition is improving is Emmanuel Zerah, who was seriously injured but is now breathing on his own and is considered moderately wounded. He has been transferred to the Ein Kerem Hospital at the Hadassah Medical Center, where his father works as a physician.
His mother, Yehudit, said she had been at home in Migdal Hae'emek when her son called her to say he had been injured.
"This is not the first time we have had to deal with such a thing. Our eldest was also wounded during his military service," she said.
Professor Motti Klein, the head of Soroka University Medical Center's Intensive Care Unit said on Sunday that the wounds of all three soldiers were not life-threatening and they have been stabilized. GOC Southern Command Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir visited the three soldiers on Sunday.
Despite Saturday's attack being the worst since Operation Protective Edge in 2014, Hamas has conveyed to Israel that it does not want the event to lead to a full-fledged escalation.
Israeli officials believe the Gaza-based terrorist group the Popular Resistance Committees was behind the attack. It is believed they managed to plant a pipe bomb on the fence during one of the demonstrations on Friday. They also placed a flag on top to attract the forces.
The IDF is reviewing the incident to determine whether the flag could have been approached and handled differently, using robots or other technological devices. Meanwhile, troops stationed along the border have been instructed to change their methods and to use harsher tactics to counter the demonstrations.
