GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — In an attempt to ease the tensions flaring up on the borders between Israel and the Gaza Strip since mid-January, Egyptian intelligence resumed its mediation between Hamas and Israel on Feb. 10. The escalation came after Palestinian groups launched incendiary balloons and rockets from the Gaza Strip toward southern Israel, and Israel responded with air raids and artillery shelling of Hamas military locations in the Gaza Strip.

When Hamas accused Israel of slackening in implementing truce understandings reached in October 2018, military tensions worsened. In addition, the US administration’s declaration of the so-called "deal of the century" raised the ire of Palestinians.

An Egyptian delegation of four major officers headed by Ahmed Abdul Khaliq, who is in charge of the Palestinian affairs at the Egyptian General Intelligence Service, arrived in the Gaza Strip on Feb. 10, coming from Israel, and held talks with Hamas and Palestinian factions before returning to Israel a few hours later.

An Egyptian official close to the intelligence service told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, “The Egyptian delegation held talks with Hamas leaders, asking them to control the security situation along the borders with the Gaza Strip and to stop launching rockets and incendiary balloons toward south Israel. Provoking an Israeli reaction would result in a huge military confrontation ahead of the Israeli elections in early March.”