Israeli Security Officials: War Looming In Gaza

The Hamas government in Gaza continues to shell Jewish communities with rockets and mortar shells throughout the area.

Yesterday morning, Hamas fired three mortar shells at Israel to the north of Kibbutz erem Shalom. A short while later, another barrage of seven mortar shells were fired. No one was reported injured and no damage was caused.

The Israeli Air Force attacked the terrorist team that was firing the mortar shells, killing two teenage boys aged 15 and 17 who were firing the mortars.

Gaza terror organizations responded to the air strike with two Qassam rockets, which landed in open fields near Sderot and in the Eshkol Regional Council.

Subsequently, another five mortar shells were fired that landed in open areas inside Kibbutz Alumim. In the afternoon, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops spotted a bomb that had been planted near the border fence to the north of Kibbutz Kissufim. They successfully neutralized that bomb.

”The Egyptian initiative to instate a new arrangement between Fatah and Hamas has failed, and the situation in Gaza is volatile,” a senior Israeli security official told the Israeli media. “Hamas has rejected the efforts to form a national unity government. The American equipment for exposing tunnels has been in the possession of the Egyptian police troops, but it still isn’t being used properly. The Egyptians are afraid that the IDF will launch a major operation in Gaza.” 

The senior Israeli security official said the director of the political-security staff in the Israel Defense Ministry, Mr. Amos Gilad sent senior Egyptian officials in Cairo a message that Israel would not hold back over time if the rocket and mortar fire were to continue.

“Fatalities on the Israeli side will lead the Israeli army to an inevitable operation in the heart of Gaza,” the source added, “with no one having any idea how that will end.”

Speaking on Israel TV Channel One, Israeli Army Southern Regional Commander Maj. Gen. Yoav Galant said “the pressure in Gaza is mounting. We can anticipate a major clash.”

Despite Attacks, Abbas Sends Conciliatory Signals to Hamas: ‘You Are A Part Of Palestinian People’ Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is now taking a conciliatory line with Hamas. 

In an interview with the official Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) radio on his way to pilgrimage to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Mr. Abbas noted that he does not see anything that will prevent dialogue with Hamas, which he described as “part of the Palestinian people.”

The Arab media emphasized the change in Mr. Abbas’ tone regarding dialogue with Hamas. al-Jazeera and al-Hayat emphasized that although he had repeated his demand for Hamas return the situation in Gaza to its previous state, he spoke of Hamas in a more positive tone.

A high-ranking Islamic Jihad terror operative, Khaled el-Batash, told Arab media outlets meetings could soon occur between the rival Palestinian factions in Cairo, Egypt in order to put an end to the split between Hamas in Gaza the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah.

Mr. el-Batash noted that his organization continues in its efforts to find a solution and reduce the tension between Hamas and Islamic Jihad, adding the solution to the crisis will not be in Gaza, but rather in Egypt or in Mecca.

“But our job is to open the door to internal dialogue and afterwards to go to Egypt or to Mecca to continue the dialogue.” Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said in a lecture in Cairo on Tuesday that an intra-Palestinian agreement that would end the split between them.

Because Israeli aid to Mr. Abbas is contingent on his willingness to fight Hamas and not try to coopt it, the basis of that policy seems threatened.

David Bedein can be reached at dbedein@israelbehindthenews.com