Salafist groups have vowed to defy Hamas policy Fighters from the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic resistance movement Hamas, have been deployed in the border areas of the Gaza Strip, to prevent the firing of rockets being fired from Gaza towards Israeli cities, Palestinian sources have confirmed.The move comes after Salafists, at odds with Hamas, fired several rockets towards Israel - leading the Israeli government to threaten Hamas with retaliation.
Sources claimed that Israeli officials sent messages to Hamas through an Egyptian mediator, calling on the group to stop the rocket barrage or it will launch a major offensive on the Gaza Strip.
Hamas, intent on negotiations instead of war, replaced policemen with al-Qassam fighters near the border with Israel. Authorities also established barriers and army battalions began searching vehicles and persons in the vicinity.
Earlier, Salafists groups vowed to continue their rocket attacks on Israel, regardless of the stance adopted by Hamas or Egypt.
An anonymous Salafist leader said they would "not abide by the truce and will continue to attack Israel" leading Hamas government's security officials to mount a fierce crackdown and arrest several Salafist fighters.
Salafist groups have accused the Hamas government of allowing Egyptian intelligence officers to question their members in Gaza's central Ansar prison.
A statement from the Mujahideen Shura Council of Jerusalem claimed that "officers and investigators from the Egyptian General Intelligence Service are conducting investigation with several Salafist prisoners in the prison being run by Hamas security officials."
The group explained that Egyptian authorities want information about the structure of the Salafist groups in both Gaza Strip and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, with a focus on collecting information about the Mujahideen Shura Council of Jerusalem, and the recent rocket attacks which targeted Eilat, southern Israel, last week.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine has vowed to meet any potential Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, with force.
Group leader Ahmed al-Modalal told Jerusalem TV: "The resistance is completely ready to tackle any aggression, and Israel will pay a heavy price if this happens, as most  of Israeli cities in the occupied Palestinian territories, are within range of our rockets."
Al-Modalal claimed that the Israeli threats to launch a new war, will not frighten the Palestinian people in Gaza or break their will.