Egypt pushes Hamas to fix ties with Israel after Tel Aviv rocket attack

"Hamas is not behind the launch," Sinwar said, but the Egyptian delegation did not believe him.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Palestinian members of al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas movement, display home-made rockets during an anti-Israel military parade, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip August 21, 2016 (photo credit: IBRAHEEM ABU MUSTAFA/REUTERS)
Palestinian members of al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas movement, display home-made rockets during an anti-Israel military parade, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip August 21, 2016
(photo credit: IBRAHEEM ABU MUSTAFA/REUTERS)
Tensions were high between Egyptian officials and Hamas delegates after Egypt tried to play peace broker between Israel and Hamas, Israel Hayom reported.
Egypt tried to wage peace after two rockets were fired at Tel Aviv on Thursday night from Gaza.
"If Israel decides to embark on a large-scale military operation in Gaza, we will not do anything to stop the Israeli attack, even if the Israelis decide to bring down your control in Gaza through targeted assassinations of each and every one of you," Egyptian officials told Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar, Hamas officials, according to the report.
"Hamas is not behind the launch," Sinwar said, but the Egyptian delegation did not believe him.
"You are lying, the blood of the Gazans who will be harmed by the Israeli response will be yours," the Egyptian officials said. "You will bring, with your own hands, the destruction of the Gaza Strip and your territory."
"I will not ask you to risk your life and stay in Gaza, but before you leave, we ask you to contact your Israeli colleagues and make it clear to them that the launch was unintentional and certainly not planned."
According to the report, Sinwar contacted Israeli officials and notified them that the rockets launched were a mistake and were meant for a future confrontation with Israel.