A group of 21 African migrants trying to enter Israel have been trapped since Thursday between barrier fences on the Israeli-Egyptian border, local media reported Tuesday.

The group reached the border but ran into obstacles, nearly three weeks after a similar incident occurred, and were unable to enter Israel or return to Egypt.

The group also consists of two women, one of whom is pregnant. They are now watched over by the Israeli army.

An Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman confirmed the details of the incident in a press release.

"West of the barrier, on the side facing Egypt, a group of foreigners whose entry was prevented by the fence, recently erected to prevent unauthorized entries, was discovered," the statement read, "Out of humanitarian considerations, the IDF forces are passing water through the fence to the foreigners."

However, soldiers told local Ha'aretz daily that they were ordered to give the migrants "as little water as possible."

The Israeli government approved in January 2010 the construction of a 240-km, 1.5-billion-shekel (370 million U.S. dollars) steel wall in an attempt to thwart infiltration attempts into its territory.

The barrier is part of an overall governmental plan which commenced several months ago, to repatriate an estimated 30,000 migrants from Africa, mainly South Sudan and Eritrea, and prevent their future infiltration to the country.