Few hours after Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip sent a message to the Israeli public opinion, underlining the need to avoid war and ease tensions, the Israeli army announced Thursday it would significantly boost its forces along the border with Gaza, in preparation for the “march of return” on Friday, upon the instructions of the Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot.
Israeli reports said that the army made its decision following an assessment session of the security situation, which was held on Thursday, out of concern over a possible escalation amid expected demonstrations on Friday along the border.
However, the Israeli army did not touch on the message sent by Hamas chief in Gaza Yehya al-Sinwar in a rare interview published Friday in the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth and the Italian La Repubblica.
From his office in Gaza, Sinwar told reporter Francesca Borri about the need to abandon the war:
“Why did you decide to give this interview now, to an Israeli newspaper no less?
-Because now I see a true opportunity for change.
An opportunity? Now?
-Yes, now.
It appears the most realistic thing right now in Gaza is another war.
A new war is in no one's interest, certainly not our interest. Who really wants to confront a nuclear superpower with four slingshots? War doesn't achieve anything,” Sinwar told the Italian journalist.
While Israeli analysts scoffed at the publication of the interview with Sinwar, who is regarded as the head of a terrorist movement in Israel and one of Israel’s most dangerous enemies, who has a clear relationship with Iran and receives $100 million in financial support, others wrote that his speech was important because preventing war and reaching a cease-fire agreement in the Gaza Strip was an Israeli interest.
