Media is quoting a Palestinian reporter as saying that, “Israel is ready to reach understandings and implemented the first part of its agreement on Monday with the expansion of the fishing area.” However, Israel requested “an official postponement of the actual implementation of any other understandings” until after the April 9 election, the report said.
“Hamas rejected this request outright and made it clear that the situation would escalate if Israel did not reach understandings in the coming hour,” according to the Palestinian report.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously made clear that the impending elections would not be an obstacle to launching a large-scale military operation against Hamas.