A Lebanese newspaper affiliated with Hezbollah reported Monday that the various terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip have warned the Egyptian mediator attempting to broker a long-term ceasefire with Israel that a military conflict is closer than ever.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
Sources in Hamas told Al-Akhbar that the Egyptians had asked the Gaza-based terrorist groups to refrain from any escalation until the end of this week until they received an updated response from the Israeli negotiators, which is due by mid-week.
The Israeli team is expected to present the new Israeli government stance on every aspect of the Gaza issue, including a prisoner exchange deal to recover the bodies of fallen soldiers Lt. Hadar Goldin and Staff Sgt. Oron Shaul, as well as captive Israelis Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed.
The Egyptians also reportedly informed Hamas that as part of Egypt's attempts to keep things quiet, talks had taken place overnight with senior Israeli government officials that had yielded "positive signals" about a possible jump-start to the negotiations process.
The Lebanese report comes after Defense Minister Benny Gantz, speaking to Channel 13 News on Sunday evening, warned that fighting between Israel and terrorist factions in the Gaza Strip could resume "at any time."
"Gaza is a very sensitive place. We know that a strategic incident can quickly lead to a deterioration of the situation," he said
"We are, of course, ready to act. We identify dozens of targets, we have already spotted hundreds. I absolutely do not recommend Hamas test the military capabilities of the IDF," Gantz warned.
For more than a week, incendiary balloons have been sent from Gaza towards Israel, causing fires in the south.
The IDF has retaliated by targeting rocket launchers and Hamas weapons infrastructure in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Hamas international director Khaled Mashaal meanwhile has denied reports of any breakthrough in negotiations with Israel on a prisoner exchange deal.
Mashaal said, "The issue has been debated for years, and there is no significant progress."
As for Lebanon, which is in one of the worst economic crises globally since the mid-nineteenth century, Gantz offered assistance to Israel's neighbor to the north on Twitter.
"As an Israeli, as a Jew and as a human being, my heart aches seeing the images of people going hungry on the streets of Lebanon."
He continued: "Israel has offered assistance to Lebanon in the past and even today we are ready to act, and to encourage other countries to extend a helping hand to Lebanon so that it will once again flourish and emerge from its state of crisis," he said.
Gantz, who served as commander of the Israel Defense Forces' Lebanon Liaison Unit during Israel's withdrawal from the south of the country in 2000.
He continued: "We are also willing to encourage other countries with the aim of reaching out a helping hand to Lebanon, so that blossom once again and exits the grave crisis it now finds itself again."
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
i24NEWS contributed to this report.
