Egyptian intelligence officials warned the Gaza Strip leadership of the Popular Resistance Committees that its secretary-general, Zuheir al-Qaisi's life was in danger prior to his assassination by the IDF last Friday, a spokesperson for the Palestinian group said Sunday.
PRC spokesperson Abu Mujahid told Palestinian news outlet Palestine Online that leaders from the group had met with Egyptian officials about a months ago, where Egyptian intelligence officials confirmed the danger to Qaisi's life.
Local sources also told the PRC that Israeli officials were monitoring Qaisi "wherever he went," according to the report.
While the warnings were clear, Egypt did not call on the PRC to stop its activities. Instead, Egypt warned the group to operate only within Gaza's borders, and not to extend their operations into the Sinai peninsula or Egyptian territory, according to the spokesman.
The IDF has said that the assassination of Qaisi was part of an operation to thwart attempts by the PRC to carry out a terror attacks in Sinai, along the Israeli-Egyptian border.
Egypt has denied these claims, with Egyptian Ambassador to the Palestinian Territories Yasser Othman asserting that Sinai is "fully under control."
"This is an attempt by Israel to give justification for the offensive against Gaza," he said.
At least 18 Palestinian have been killed since the assassination of Qaisi, including another senior PRC leader.
Still, Mujahid rejected any notion of truce with Israel, blaming Israel for starting the current escalation.