Defense Minister Amir Peretz refuted reports that Egyptian forces along the Gaza border have been reinforced. In the cabinet meeting Sunday, Peretz said, "More than 750 Border Guard police are stationed in the area. There are no additional people."
Egypt reported over the weekend that the country will station some 5,000 police along the border with the Gaza Strip, on the Egyptian side of the Philadelphi route.
During his briefing to the ministers, Peretz spoke about the dead end in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and warned that "the ongoing stagnation in this arena may lead to a violent eruption."
Referring to the military's operations in the south following the IDF's withdrawal from Khan Younis, Peretz said: "We will exercise judgment regarding large scale offensive actions in the Gaza Strip, although we will operate wherever is needed."
The defense minister also spoke about the escalation in tensions between Hamas and Fatah in the territories: "Both sides are preparing for an acceleration of the conflict after the end of the Ramadan, and the internal anger may turn towards Israel."
"There are alerts of terror attacks, but a decline in the number of attacks as a result of the forces' activity. We must refrain from getting involved in the internal Palestinian strife, but in light of Hamas' effort to broaden activities in Judea and Samaria, I have instructed the army to prepare accordingly," he stated.
Peretz reported to the ministers that some 100 terror operatives were arrested by the IDF's Central Command, including four potential suicide bombers.