Hamas leaders walk freely following escalation in Gaza
Ismail Haniyeh and Fathi Hamad come to offer their condolences to the family of 25-yera-old Palestinian killed during an IAF retaliatory attack after rockets were shot at southern Israel; the two walk through Gaza's streets in broad daylight, without fear of an Israeli attack.
The Hamas leadership continues routine activity, following the IDF's retaliatory attack on Gaza after rockets were launched at Be'er Sheva and the sea off the coast of a city in central Israel Wednesday early morning.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh paid a condolence visit to the family of the 25-year-old Palestinian who was killed inside a Hamas post hit during the Israeli Air Force (IAF) attack, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
Haniyeh was accompanied by Hamas official Fathi Hamad, with both of them walking through Gaza's streets in broad daylight.
Earlier, it was reported that Egyptian intelligence head Abbas Kamel would not arrive in Israel, the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian Authority on Thursday as scheduled.
In addition, the Egyptian delegation headed by Ahmed Abd al-Khaliq left the Gaza Strip through the Erez crossing on Wednesday.
Sources in Gaza said that the delegation had been operating within the strip to establish calm and prevent rocket and mortar shell fire into Israel in response to IDF attacks.
Meanwhile, the Security Cabinet convened in Prime Minister's Benjamin Netanyahu's Office to discuss possible security development following the recent escalation in Gaza.
Prior to the cabinet meeting, credible sources told Ynet that Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman is expected to demand that the IDF lands a series of strong blows on the Gaza Strip at a magnitude not seen since the 2014 Operation Protective Edge.
Before the meeting began, GOC Southern Command Maj. Gen. Herzi Halevi said that "Hamas presumes to control Gaza, telling the strip's residents it is trying to improve their situation.
"In practice, the rampant violence on the Gaza border in the shape of incendiary balloons, explosive devices and rockets as we witnessed Wednesday early morning, is only worsening the situation of Gaza's residents, prompting us to attack Hamas weapon manufacturing sites, headquarters and underground terror infrastructure," he elaborated.
"All the targets we attacked were destroyed, and will be very difficult to reconstruct," Halevi stated.
"The IDF is prepared for all future scenarios and has the know-how to respond with greater power," he concluded.
