Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli forces at the Israel-Gaza border, July 26, 2019. (Hassan Jedi/Flash90)

Israel will start building an additional barrier – above and underground – along the northern part of the Gaza border fence to protect Jewish communities.

Following three infiltrations along the Gazan border in under two weeks, Israel will start building an additional barrier – above and underground – along the northern part of the Gaza border fence to protect communities, Channel 12 reports.

According to the report, the Israeli Defense Ministry is planning to build a six-meter high wall that is inside Israeli territory along a nine kilometer area on Route 34, stretching between Kibbutz Yad Mordechai and the city of Sderot.

The cost is estimated at tens of millions of shekels.

The new protection from terrorist incursions would be in addition to various other reported methods to bolster protection. The need has become more evident, say various media reports, following massive violence from Gaza in May.

The new barrier will take until next summer to be completed, according to Channel 12.

The greatest threat on the ground has been from The Great March of Return border protests, which began in March 2018 and have brought varying degrees of violence almost every Friday.

This week marks the 14th anniversary of Israel’s pullout of its civilian population of some 8,000 residents from the Gaza Strip, known as the “disengagement.” In September 2005, a month later, Israeli security forces also withdrew, and the security situation has since deteriorated.

In 2007, the Hamas terror group overthrew the Palestinian Authority.

Since then, Israel has fought three wars with Gaza: Operation Cast Lead in 2008-2009, Operation Pillar Defense in 2012, and Operation Protective Edge in 2014.

Rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel have continued, sometimes massively. In addition to the border clashes and incursions, Palestinians have been launching incendiary kites and balloons, setting Israeli fields on fire and causing great economic and environmental damage.