Israeli-Palestinian gaps too big for Gaza ceasefire

Tel Aviv [Israel], May 11 (/TPS): Attempts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian terror groups in Gaza have made no headway, with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry admitting that "efforts continue for now without success."

The Tazpit Press Service has learned that Palestinian Islamic Jihad is demanding that Israel end targeted attacks on its commanders, the return of the body of a Palestinian prisoner who died during a hunger strike, and the cancellation of Israel's annual Jerusalem Day flag parade.

But Israeli sources told TPS, "We didn't commit to anything."

As rockets continued to be fired at southern and central Israel, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant ordered the security establishment to prepare "a series of additional operations" against Gaza and stressed that Israelis should brace for longer range Palestinian rocket fire.

Israeli strikes on Islamic Jihad leaders come against the backdrop of a rocket barrage fired by the terror group following the death of Khader Adnan on May 2. The imprisoned Adnan, a senior Islamic Jihad figure, died after an 86-day hunger strike. The terror group had threatened throughout Adnan's hunger strike that it would hold Israel responsible for its member's death.

Israel retaliated for the terror group's rocket with a surprise air strikes on three senior commanders on May 9. The commander of the Islamic Jihad's rocket squads responsible for the barrages was killed in an Israeli strike on a Khan Yunis safehouse Thursday morning.

The flag march is an annual highlight of Jerusalem Day festivities, which celebrate the anniversary of the Israeli capital's reunification during the Six-Day War of 1967. Thousands of Israeli youths carrying Israeli flags march through Tel Aviv's Old City.

Palestinians regularly accuse Israel of using the march to "Judaize" the city.

Israel reportedly warned Hamas that it would retaliate powerfully to any rocket fire during Jerusalem Day.

Before Jerusalem Day in 2021, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to change the route so that marchers would not pass through the Old City's Muslim Quarter, but Hamas fired rockets, sparking an 11-day military operation in Gaza. (/TPS)