General Dan Harel, head of the Southern Command at the Israeli Army claimed that the Israeli security discovered an explosive belt in Al Mawassi areas, close to Shirat Hayam settlement, in the Gush Katif settlement Bloc.
Harel told reported in a press conference held on Wednesday that the discovery of the explosive belt followed the arrest of four members of the Islamic Jihad, who are suspected of planning to carry out a suicide bombing at a settlement in Gaza while Israel is evacuating the settlers.
The Islamic Jihad movement denied the statements of Harel and said that it has no intentions to carry attacks which could hinder the Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip.
“We are committed to the calm, and we want the Israeli withdrawal to advanceâ€Â, Islamic Jihad spokesperson said.
Also, Harel said that there is an “excellent†coordination between Israeli and the P.A, and added that the Authority is succeeding in its efforts to prevent the Palestinian resistance from firing homemade shells at Israeli targets.ÂÂ
The P.A deployed 7,500 Palestinian policemen near Gaza settlements in an attempt to prevent the resistance from firing its shells at the settlements.
The deployment of P.A forces was part of a coordination deal reached with Israel.
