Israeli authorities had been on high alert since Hamas militants blew up large sections of the Gaza-Egypt border wall on Jan. 23. The border breach, aimed at easing an Israeli and Egyptian blockade of Gaza, allowed hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to cross into Egypt unchecked.
Egypt managed to reseal the border only on Sunday. Egyptian officials had no immediate comment on the Dimona bombing.
Israel's 250km desert border with Egypt is mostly open, with few obstacles. In contrast, a large fence complex separates Gaza from Israel.
In a telephone interview, Abu Fouad, a spokesman for the al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, said the attackers sneaked into Egypt after the border breach, then crossed into Israel using unspecified "private contacts."
He also claimed the group had more militants inside Israel waiting to strike.
Yellow Fatah flags flew outside the home of one of the attackers, 22-year-old Luay Laghwani, and al Aqsa gunmen fired in the air in tribute to him. His sobbing mother, Ibtissam, held up a picture of him as a young teenager, while male relatives scolded her for crying, saying she should be proud.
The previous suicide bombing in Israel occurred on Jan. 29 last year when a Palestinian attacker entered Israel from Egypt, killing three Israelis in Eilat.
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