Islamic Jihad would have rejected a first ceasefire mediated by Egypt, according to Palestinian sources

Senior Israeli officials nonetheless confirm indirect contacts to end hostilities

Islamic Jihad would have refused in the last few hours to agree to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip after receiving an offer for the cessation of hostilities negotiated by Egypt and accepted in principle by Israel, according to Palestinian sources in statements collected by the Channel. 13 on Israeli television.

Egypt and Israel had agreed on two dates for the end of the fighting: Monday at 0600 or 0300 on Tuesday; a timetable so established for unspecified reasons.

At the moment neither Islamic Jihad nor Israel have spoken openly about this information, but a senior Israeli official has confirmed to channel 12 that there are already "contacts" with the armed group to declare a "complete ceasefire" mediated by Cairo.

Time is short, as another source from the Egyptian government has warned the newspaper 'Haaretz', given the possibility that Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement that controls the Strip, and that until now has remained on the sidelines of the clashes, ends up joining the battles.

"As time passes and the humanitarian situation in Gaza worsens, the possibility of Hamas joining the fighting increases. If there is no ceasefire within 48 hours," the Egyptian diplomatic source speculates, "Hamas will join The struggle".

The head of Israel's Intelligence and General Security Services (Shin Bet), Ronen Bar, has already raised with the Israeli Government's security cabinet the possibility of terminating the military operation in Gaza against the terrorist group, as reported this Sunday ministerial sources told the Israeli outlet Walla News.

Bar reportedly told the cabinet that Islamic Jihad had already been hit hard in this operation, and the time had come to end the campaign and "avoid possible mistakes that could lead to a broader conflict that Israel does not want."

In fact, the head of the Shin Bet indicated that the 'Dawn' operation had achieved more advantages than expected, especially the "strategic objective" of opening a wedge between Islamic Jihad and Hamas, the Islamist movement that controls the Gaza Strip and which has remained relatively silent during the confrontation between Israel and the terrorist organization's militias.