An Egyptian security delegation is slated to arrive in Israel on Wednesday in an attempt to “calm” the situation with Hamas, according to a report published by the Hebrew-language Ynet news site.
It was clear, however, that none of Israel’s ministers were inclined to comply with a cease fire recommendation at this point.
Israel’s political-security cabinet met Tuesday morning in an extended session to receive an updated military briefing and to determine its next steps.
The IDF Armored Corps and infantry continues to gather at Israel’s southern border along the Gaza Strip.
“We are in the midst of a wide-scale process of accumulating more infantry, tanks, armored and other forces to the area adjacent to the Gaza Strip, and we are mobilizing reserves for Iron Dome operations and the Home Front Command,” IDF Spokesperson Brig.-Gen. Ronen Manelis told reporters Tuesday morning, adding that it is not yet necessary to evacuate Israeli communities along the border.
The IDF has struck more than 150 terrorist targets in Gaza belonging to Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organizations so far, according to Manelis, including three terror tunnels and four Hamas military compounds in Gaza City, Beit Hanoun, Jabalya and Khan Younis.
The Al Aqsa TV station in Gaza City also was destroyed, as was the former Al Amal Hotel used as the Hamas Internal Security Office.
Thus far, however, there were no civilian casualties in Gaza — unlike the dozens of civilian casualties and at least two civilian deaths in Israel, including a 40-year-old Palestinian Authority Arab man who was in Ashkelon when the city was hit by a rocket attack from Gaza. He was the first to die.