An Israeli military delegation visited Doha to advise Hamas movement officials there to restore calm in the Gaza Strip, intelligence sources in Tel Aviv said.
The Israeli government has tasked the military leadership to deal with the escalation of cross-border violence in Gaza, in collaboration with the National Security Council in the office of the Prime Minister, headed by Meir Ben Shabat, who is close to Benyamin Netanyahu, the sources said.
They confirmed that the military, currently in talks with Egypt to step up de-escalation efforts, decided to increase the role of Qatar in the mediation with Hamas.
Israeli Major General Herzi Halevi, the chief of the Southern Command, visited Doha along with other officers from the Army, the Shabak, the Mossad and the National Security Council.
“The delegation worked on negotiating an agreement or a ceasefire accepted by Hamas leaders residing in the Qatari capital, mainly Ismail Haniyeh and Saleh al-Arouri,” the sources said.
The intelligence sources said that Hamas leaders take Israeli threats to assassinate party figures seriously.
In recent weeks, groups affiliated with Hamas have launched incendiary balloons into Israel, igniting farmland in a bid to pressure Israel to ease the blockade it imposed on Gaza when the militants seized power in 2007. Rocket attacks have also marked a significant escalation as Israel responds with airstrikes.
Israel and Hamas have fought three wars and several smaller battles over the last 13 years. Neither side is believed to be seeking war, but any casualties could ignite a wider conflict.
