In response to left-wing calls not to be pulled behind any reconciliation in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister ordered the army on Friday to direct the heaviest attacks against Hamas in case the movement tries to violate the truce at the northern and eastern outskirts of the Strip.
On Thursday night, Hamas announced that a ceasefire had been agreed upon with Israel, and was mediated by Egypt and other regional players. However, Tel Aviv denied the reports.
A military spokesperson said: “We are not speaking about a ceasefire but about muting shelling under the equation of “quiet would be met with quiet.”
Also, speaking with Hadashot news, an unnamed Israeli official insisted Friday that Israel never agreed to a ceasefire.
Calls escalated Friday in the ranks of the Israeli left-wing demanding to uproot the movement and to eliminate its leaders.
On Friday, Fatah expressed its full rejection to comments delivered by US Mideast peace envoy Jason Greenblatt. Israelis and Palestinians should unite against the deadly threat of Hamas, said Greenblatt in an op-ed published on CNN.
"Hamas is an Islamic fundamentalist terror organization, with funding from Iran, dedicated to the destruction of Israel," he wrote.
Meanwhile, dozens of Palestinians were wounded Friday during protests close to the border with Israel.
Known as "the Great March of Return,” demonstrations in the eastern Gaza Strip are part of the weekly protests and rallies that have been going on since March 30.
Also on Friday, a poll published by Israeli daily Maariv said a total of 64 percent of Israeli nationals are unhappy with Netanyahu's policies in handling the Gaza Strip violence amid ongoing rocket and arson balloon attacks by Palestinian militants from the enclave.
