Israel is preparing for an operation in Gaza and asks Egypt to pressure the factions to avoid escalation

The Israeli army announced the deployment of its defensive batteries in preparation for any escalation on various fronts, including the launch of Operation Fences Guard 2 against the Gaza Strip, while Tel Aviv asked Cairo to intervene to urge the Palestinian factions not to escalate.

The Israeli army said on Sunday that it had deployed its defense batteries and was ready for any escalation on various fronts, including launching the "Guardian of the Fences 2" operation against the Gaza Strip, while Tel Aviv asked Cairo to intervene to urge the Palestinian factions not to escalate.

This came in statements made by the spokesman for Brigadier General, "Ran Kochav", during which he touched on the security tension in the occupied West Bank, in an interview with the Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.

At dawn on Saturday, the Israeli army killed 3 Palestinians near the city of Jenin, claiming that they intended to carry out an attack inside Israel. During the operation, 4 soldiers were also wounded, including one seriously.

"The Israeli army operates anywhere and at any time in Areas A, B and C, and helps the police on the home front," Kochav said.

The Oslo agreement between the PLO and Israel classified the West Bank lands into 3 areas: “A” under full Palestinian control, “B” under Israeli security, civil and Palestinian administrative control, and “C” under Israeli civil, administrative and security control, and they constituted about 60% of Bank area.

Kochav added: "We are monitoring Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and even Sinai, and are ready for any possible escalation. We have deployed our air defense batteries," stressing: "If necessary, we are also ready for Guards Fences 2 or any activity that may be required."

He stressed that "the Gaza Division is ready for ground defense and we will do everything necessary to pass the month of Ramadan and the Jewish Passover in peace." The Gaza Division is an Israeli military force deployed on the borders of the Strip.

In a related context, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz threatened the Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip with "pain" in the event of a new military escalation, at a time when Tel Aviv asked Cairo to intervene to urge the factions not to escalate, according to Hebrew media.

Gantz said in an interview published by the Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth on Sunday: "At the moment, Hamas does not want an escalation, but we assume that an escalation can happen, but the residents of Gaza, including Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, must choose the type of Ramadan they want."

He added: "If there is activity against Israel from the Gaza Strip, Gaza will suffer pain, which I suggest it should spare itself." He continued, "They know our capabilities, with all our tools.

On the other hand, the official Israeli channel "Kan" revealed that the head of the National Security Council, "Eyal Hulta", spoke with the director of Egyptian intelligence, Abbas Kamel, about the escalation in the Palestinian territories.

The channel said that this came within the framework of "Israel's attempt to push Egypt to put pressure on the Palestinian organizations not to escalate the situation."

Israel fears the possibility of an explosion in the security situation in the Palestinian territories, especially the city of Jerusalem, as a result of the preparation of large groups of extremist settlers to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque during the month of Ramadan, when Islamic events coincide with Jewish holidays this year.

The “guardian of the fences” is the name that Israel gives to a military battle with the Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip between May 10 and 21, 2021, which resulted in the death and wounding of hundreds of Palestinians, while the factions responded by firing thousands of missiles towards Israeli cities.