WarSclerotic

Egypt’s harsh rebuke of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was prompted by Saudi Arabia learning that Iran and Qatar meddled in efforts to diffuse the violent demonstrations orchestrated by the terrorist group on the Gazan-Israeli border, a senior Egyptian intelligence official told Israel Hayom on Wednesday.

Sixty Palestinians were killed and 2,700 others were wounded in riots on the Israel-Gaza border Monday. It was the deadliest day since Hamas launched its border riots campaign on March 30, bringing the overall death toll to 120.

Haniyeh was urgently summoned to Cairo on Monday, where, according to a senior Egyptian official, “he was told, in no uncertain terms, that the blood of the dead was on his hands.”

The Israeli military said it had proof that at least ‎‎24 of the dead were known terrorists. On Tuesday, ‎Hamas leaders admitted that 50 of the dead were its ‎operatives. ‎

“The Saudis, who supported the Egyptian pressure exerted on Hamas, are vehemently opposed to any semblance of collaboration with Doha, and even declared that any involvement by Qatar will cause the Saudis to withdraw the support and backing it gave for the pressure placed on Hamas” by Egypt, the official said.

Arab media reported on the drama that had unfolded in Cairo on Monday extensively.

The Egyptian official told Israel Hayom that the urgent meeting between Egyptian General Intelligence Service head Maj. Gen. Abbas Kamel and other top officers and Haniyeh was “extremely heated.”

The Saudis accused Qatar of helping Hamas instigate border riots through its envoy to the Gaza Strip, Mohammed Al-Emadi, saying Qatar’s assertion that it was key to convincing Hamas to roll back the riots was false.

“Contrary to reports on Qatari mediation, their role was negligible, effectively nonexistent,” the Egyptian official noted. “Qatar is beginning to show more and more that it represents the interests of Iran. Following the intelligence that was gathered on Iranian involvement and support for the violent incidents on the border with Gaza, causing the deaths of dozens of Palestinians, there was no place for Qatar to mediate between the parties and try to improve their image in the Arab and Western world at the expense of Palestinians killed and wounded.”

Reports that during Haniyeh’s scolding the Egyptians delivered a message from Israel saying that unless the border riots subside the IDF will resurrect its policy of targeted assassinations against Hamas’ leadership, received wide coverage in Arab media.

Egyptian intelligence officials said a shocked Haniyeh was told by Kamel that if his people continue the demonstrations and bring about the death of more Palestinians, they will hold him and the rest of the Hamas leadership personally responsible.

“Kamel demanded Haniyeh return to Gaza in the helicopter that brought him and order his people to immediately halt the incidents along the border with Israel,” the Egyptian official said. “Meanwhile, Hamas has received no positive gesture [from the international community] other than Gaza being in the headlines again. It’s likely that later, if the border remains quiet, gestures toward Hamas and the population of Gaza are likely to be made.

“The message sent, however, was hostile and placed the responsibility on Hamas to bring the order back to Gaza,” he said.

Haniyeh reportedly told the Egyptians that Hamas was prepared to discuss a “tahdiya,” or lull in hostilities with Israel, which could, eventually, secure a cease-fire, but he did not agree to discuss basic conditions for a cease-fire and rejected even the possibility of discussing the disarmament of Hamas’ military wing.

In response, “Haniyeh was told that Hamas is in no position to stipulate any conditions whatsoever,” the official said. “Hamas is effectively not even willing to discuss ways for actual steps that will allow a tahdiya. Therefore, in such a situation, there is absolutely nothing to discuss. The era of empty rhetoric is over, and Hamas must understand this.”

Meanwhile, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi confirmed Wednesday that Egypt was involved in behind-the-scenes communications between Israel and Hamas.

“We are in contact with the Palestinian and Israeli sides to stop the bloodshed,” he said.

Meanwhile, Hamas military leader Yahya Sinwar told Al Jazeera that the Egyptians and Hamas agreed not to allow clashes on the border fence to escalate into an armed conflict. He said that the “peaceful” demonstrations along the fence achieved some of their goals.

“The right of return and the Palestinian problem returned to the world stage,” he said. “Hamas will continue its nonviolent approach of popular resistance. We will do everything in our power to ensure the demonstrations do not escalate, but we will not remain indifferent if the enemy spills the blood of our people.”