Officials said Hamas leaders have rejected international appeals for a
unilateral ceasefire with Israel. They said Hamas has concluded that a
suspension of Israeli military operations would enable the acceleration of
missile and rocket production to prepare for a major conflict with the
Jewish state.
On Thursday, Israel's military announced the discovery of seven weapons
tunnels that extended from Egypt to the Gaza Strip. The military said the
tunnels were used by Hamas to smuggle insurgents as well as weapons, and
comprised part of the "Hamas' weapons supply mechanism."
Military sources said they assess that dozens of other tunnels were in
the area. They said 25 Palestinian insurgents were killed in the Gaza Strip
this week in Israeli operations, four of them on Thursday.
A leading Knesset member has warned that Egypt was helping Hamas develop
its military infrastructure. Former Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense
Committee chairman Yuval Steinitz said Egypt has teamed with Iran to sustain
a low-level conflict against Israel meant to culminate in a major war.
The sources said Hamas has also sought to develop missile production
facilities in the West Bank. They said the Islamic force would exploit any
Israeli withdrawal from West Bank cities to renew missile and rocket
development and production.
On Friday, the Palestinian Authority was scheduled to deploy 300 police
and security officers in the West Bank city of Nablus. The deployment of the
troops, trained in facilities in Jericho, would follow the acquisition of 50
jeeps by Palestinian security forces loyal to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
"We are allowing the building of a military force in Gaza that in the
end will abduct Israeli soldiers," Israeli [Res.] Maj. Gen. Yiftah Ron-Tal,
a former head of Ground Forces Command, said.