Islamic Jihad personnel with an anti-tank missilePalestinian Islamic Jihad is seeking to carry out a series of attacks against Israel in the coming hours or days, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have warned. The terrorists’ objective would be to spoil the important progress that has been made towards a ceasefire understanding between Israel and Hamas, through the mediation of Egypt and the UN.
Israeli security officials detected in recent hours unusual activity by members of the military wing of Islamic Jihad in several locations along the border fence between Israel and Gaza. The activity could include launching a Russian-made Kornet anti-tank missile at Israeli targets, placing explosive charges on the border fence or attempting to break through the border security fence to carry out a mega attack on the territory. Israeli.
These Palestinian Islamic Jihad preparations are being made under the noses of Egyptian mediators and, according to military sources, as far as is known Hamas is not aware of these activities. The order to carry out the attack was apparently transmitted from the office of Islamic Jihad leader Ziad Nahla in Beirut to the group’s military wing.
It has not been fully clarified why Islamic Jihad is interested in causing the collapse of the deal with Israel, which is being negotiated through Egyptian Intelligence officials. This may be the organization’s way of expressing its dissatisfaction, or it could be a directive from Iran, which funds Islamic Jihad, aiming to destroy the deal. Military sources have pointed to Islamic Jihad as responsible for launching the six rockets fired at Israeli communities near Gaza last Sunday.
Islamic Jihad denied the IDF’s claim. “These reports are not true,” the Islamic terrorist group said in a statement.
Two leaders of the Islamic Jihad: Daud Shihab and Khaled Al Batsh are members of the expanded committee in the Gaza Strip that receives updated information from Egyptian Intelligence on the progress in the negotiations. It is unclear whether they are also parties to the plan to disrupt the agreements through a large-scale attack.
The negotiations to reach an understanding between Israel and Hamas are being led by General Ahmed Abdel Khalek, who is in charge of the Palestinian portfolio of Egyptian Intelligence, and the UN envoy for the Middle East, the Bulgarian Nickolay Mladenov. The two met with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh at his home in the Shati refugee camp.
On the Hamas side, the negotiations are being led by the group’s Gaza leader, Yahya Sinwar, while on the Israeli side they are led by the head of the National Security Council, Meir Ben-Shabat.
As part of the negotiations, Israel has reopened the two border crossings with the Gaza Strip, Erez and Kerem Shalom. Through the latter, the supply of diesel (gasoil) has been renewed to activate the Gaza power plant.
