Contrary to its usual practice, in response to a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip on the night of April 22, Israel decided not to attack Hamas targets in Gaza by means of fighter planes, instead closing the Erez crossing to Palestinian workers entering Israel April 24. In the same breath, the Israel Defense Forces clarified that the crossing would reopen “depending on an assessment of the situation.” Israel was evidently hoping that preventing 12,000 workers from entering Israel would pressure Hamas to take action against the restive Islamic Jihad militants who were apparently behind the rocket fire.

Not everyone within the security establishment agreed with the decision to close the Erez crossing.

Some senior officers questioned the decision by Defense Minister Benny Gantz not to attack Gaza in response to the rocket fire but to use only a “soft” approach. They estimated that this step could actually encourage escalation instead of thwarting it. They also felt that it damaged Israel’s efforts to support the Palestinian economy by enabling more and more workers to enter Israel. The logic of that policy is clear: The more Palestinians are allowed to work in Israel, the greater the price Gaza will pay should it sabotage Israeli trust and let terrorism reign.

Sources close to the defense minister explained that the decision to choose an economic sanction over a kinetic attack indeed put pressure on Hamas, but Israel also prepared for the possibility of continued rocket fire from Gaza. The Intelligence Branch identified quality targets for attack in case of continued fire from the Strip.