The IDF’s Ashdod-based Navy unit deals with terrorist activity on a daily basis, security reconnaissance commander “D” said in the military’s Mahane magazine.

.The routine security reconnaissance company of the Ashdod base was assigned the responsibility to maintain Israel’s maritime closure on Gaza since the completion of Operation Cast Lead.

Israel clamped the embargo on Hamas-controlled Gaza to prevent the smuggling of more advanced weapons and terrorists.

Captain “D” explained that the soldiers train with mock ships attempting suicide against IDF vessels, terrorist boats out at sea, and even terrorist activity on shore. “Our threat is constant. We deal with occurrences like these on a daily basis,” he explained.

“At the [maritime] border, there aren’t any fences, just open spaces,” he added. “When we locate a vessel at the closure line we first shoot in the air.

We see Grad rockets fired from Gaza and understand that each missile may harm Israeli civilians. This is a difficult situation, especially for soldiers who live in southern communities. Spending days at sea, they see missiles launched at their homes unable to contact their families.

The United Nations Palmer committee recently declared that the naval blockade is legal. It stated its conclusions in its report on the clash between Turkish terror activists and Israel Navy commandos on the Mavi Marmara ship in May 2010, when its six-ship flotilla tried to break the embargo. The IHH passengers, who had claimed to be unarmed and on a humanitarian mission, clubbed and kidnapped the commandos until the Navy soldiers were able to overcome the ship., Nine Turks were killed in the clash.

After the Mavi Mamara ship was brought to Ashdod, investigators discovered there was no humanitarian merchandise on board but that there were knives, two revolvers and equipment used to improvise lethal weapons. Confiscated videos showed IHH leaders encouraging their members to attack the commandos.