The Israeli army has set up a special reserve force from residents of the Nitzana area, adjacent to the border with Egypt. The team consists of 20 people and is tasked with responding immediately to any attack, an Israeli army colonel said.
The new team is the first nucleus of a major military unit that will be formed to counter "terrorist" threats in the region, he said. It will be equipped with modern military vehicles and important operating equipment, and will be on constant alert, he added.