There is a great chance of an escalation in the Gaza Strip with Hamas, according to senior officials of the Israeli security and military establishment.
According to the Hebrew newspaper Haaretz, on Monday, the Chief of Staff, Chief of Staff, Ariel Sharon, recently described Gaza as a "short-term front." Noting that he agreed on plans and scenarios ready for implementation in Gaza.
She noted that the army is still studying more scenarios, and preparing for a large-scale military operation in Gaza, may be close.
According to estimates by the Israeli intelligence service, Hamas is interested in launching a major offensive against Israel with the aim of putting the Gaza issue on the international stage.
The Israeli security establishment believes that Hamas understands that the Israeli response will exact a heavy price, but the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the pressures exerted by the masses and other factions such as the Islamic Jihad, are urging Hamas to take action.
According to those sources, Israel is following Hamas and trying to understand the intentions of its leaders.
Despite the tension, the military estimates that any escalation in Gaza will lead to a round of fighting for several days, not a few weeks, as in previous operations in 2014 and 2008.
According to the newspaper, despite the fear of escalation in Gaza, the "violence" in the West Bank has significant implications for the security establishment, even if it is very limited, because of the difficulty of dealing with any escalation from the West because of its geographical location.
