If Hamas continues to assist terrorist groups with attacks against IDF soldiers, it will risk facing "Operation Cast Lead II," a top IDF commander warned on Monday.

Lt.-Col. Avinoam Stolevitch's comments came after a group of around 10 Palestinian gunmen armed with "huge amounts of explosives" launched a failed Gaza border assault at the Karni Crossing.

"We are slowly beginning to understand the magnitude of [the threat from the Gaza Strip]," Stolevitch told Army Radio, adding his evaluation that the terrorists had planned a "large explosion... to provide cover for a kidnapping" in Monday morning's attack.

A security source told The Jerusalem Post that the terror cell used the cover of morning fog for their attempt, as well as booby-trapped horses. At least four terrorists were killed in the ensuing exchange of fire with the IDF. No Israeli soldiers were wounded in the incident.

The terror cell belonged to the Janud Ansar Allah (Soldiers Loyal to Allah) organization, a small group which is linked to Iran and Hizbullah, the security source added...

...Following the attack, Israel closed the Karni crossing, the main commercial terminal between Israel and Gaza, as well as the Nahal Oz fuel depot.

However, 30,000 vaccine units against foot-and-mouth disease were transferred to Gaza via the Erez crossing, despite the thwarted attack. The IDF said that 125,000 units had been supplied to the Strip in the last three months in three separate transfers, due to the importance of preventing the outbreak of the disease.

In addition, 140 truckloads of humanitarian aid was scheduled to be transferred via the Kerem Shalom crossing.