Against the background of the wave of terrorism: The “resistance” forces in Gaza have completed their preparations for a new confrontation with Israel, the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported.
The IDF also awarded the “Iron Dome” battery award in the south of the country.
Since the wave of terrorism and the assassination of the cell in Jenin on Saturday night, the defense establishment has put on alert and expanded the deployment of Iron Dome systems for fear of an escalation coming from the Gaza Strip, an escalation that would include rocket fire. However, it seems that Hamas, which is now quietly interested in Gaza, has so far successfully stopped the other terrorist organizations in Gaza from launching rockets into Israeli territory.
The Islamic Jihad organization that leads the terrorism in the Jenin area has taken a strong hit in recent days following the assassination of three of its operatives by Israeli security forces while on their way to an attack inside Israel. This is in addition to the arrest of another 20 activists in the Jenin area, who constitute a significant part of the terrorist infrastructure in the area.
Palestinian intelligence sources say Hamas has temporarily managed to restrain Islamic Jihad from launching rockets at Israel, in response to the elimination of its operatives in the Jenin area, but Iran is putting heavy pressure on it to escalate against Israel.
In light of the wave of terrorism, Israel is seriously considering forcibly entering Jenin and giving it a hard blow. The prime minister has stated that he does not restrict the IDF from doing whatever is necessary. This could lead to a response from Gaza, with the push of Islamic Jihad that may be the main victim of an IDF ground entry into Jenin.
Hamas does not rule out the possibility that it will be dragged into another round of fighting against Israel because it sees itself as a movement leading the resistance against Israel. Past and now the turn of Jerusalem and the West Bank to lead the “resistance” from their territory.
At the same time, Egypt is pressuring Hamas not to escalate from the Gaza Strip, regardless of developments in Jerusalem.
A Palestinian source said that the Egyptians were trying to obtain a commitment from Hamas not to enter into a confrontation, even if Israel “crossed the red lines” in Jerusalem during Ramadan.
The source added that the Egyptians believe they can blackmail Hamas in this regard, by means related to the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and the Gaza economy.
The IDF, for its part, is preparing for the possibility that terrorist organizations will resume rocket fire from the Gaza Strip towards Israel and that the Islamic Jihad organization will try to shuffle the cards by firing rockets from the Gaza Strip and push Hamas into another round of fighting against Israel.
That is why the IDF also awarded the “Iron Dome” battery award in the south of the country.
According to a Palestinian source quoted, the forces were preparing for Israel to “cross a red line” during the month of Ramadan, in the area of Judea and Samaria and Jerusalem, or even if it tried to commit an “act of stupidity” in Gaza, it was written.
The source in the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar referred to the remarks of Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi, who announced that Israel would install additional Iron Dome batteries and noted that “this is an attempt to prevent escalation on the part of Gaza as well, when they fail to take control of domestic events.”
The source also revealed an attempt by Israel and other countries in the region, to “spoil” the strategic relationship between Hamas and Islamic Jihad, by accusing the latter of wanting to provoke a new war in Gaza, while Hamas does not want that, but tries to address local problems first.
The source confirmed that there is a consensus between the two movements regarding the conflict with Israel and that there is coordination between their leaders and even red lines have been set in advance.
Defense Minister Bnei Gantz claimed that at the moment “Hamas does not want escalation. We assume there could be escalation, but the residents of Gaza – including Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad – should choose what kind of Ramadan they want.”
Gantz sent a threat to organizations in Gaza: “They want activity in the West Bank. If there is activity against the State of Israel from the Gaza Strip, Gaza will experience the pain I offer it to save itself. They know our capabilities, with all our tools, “.
An IDF spokesman, Brigadier General Ran Kochav, noted: “We had a particularly quiet year in Gaza as a result of the achievements of Operation Wall Guard, but if necessary – we are also prepared for Guard 2 or any other operation and activity.”