International incidents September 2012 southern Israel cross-border attack refers to an incident on 21 September 2012, when three Egyptian militants, wearing civilian clothes and armed with explosive belts, AK-47 rifles and RPG launchers, approached the Egypt-Israel border in an area where the Egypt–Israel barrier was incomplete, and opened fire on a group of IDF soldiers supervising the civilian workers who were constructing the border fence.

[1][2] The border attack was the fourth cross-border incident of its kind to be carried out in a period of approximately one year, despite Egypt's attempt to eradicate militant activity in the Sinai Peninsula.

[14] In August 2011, a series of cross-border attacks were carried out in southern Israel on Highway 12 near the Egyptian border via the Sinai Peninsula.

392 bus, at a location north of the city of Eilat,[16][17] and a short time later, an explosive device was detonated next to an Israeli army patrol driving along the Egypt–Israel border.

[18] Overall, during this multi-pronged cross-border attacks eight Israelis were killed — among them 6 civilians, one Yamam Special Unit police officer and one IDF soldier.

[15] On 31 July 2012, the U.S. Department of State's Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism published a report which warned that "The smuggling of humans, weapons, cash, and other contraband through the Sinai into Israel and Gaza created criminal networks with possible ties to terrorist groups in the region.

[4][29] The militants opened fire on a group of IDF soldiers from the Artillery Corps, who were safeguarding civilian workers who were constructing the border fence.

[8] 20-year-old[28] Corporal Netanel Yahalomi[31][32] of Nof Ayalon,[33] was shot in the head[26] and killed by the militants while he was giving water to African migrants, who attempted to illegally cross the border into Israel.

[10][30] The two IDF soldiers were evacuated to the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba, nevertheless, Yahalomi died shortly after arriving at the hospital.

"[39] Following the attack, it was announced that the IDF would continue to offer aid to African infiltrators and migrants, which includes providing them with food and water.