Senior Israeli officials have confirmed that negotiations are ongoing to reach a humanitarian cease-fire of at least several hours as the fighting between Israel and the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization continues Sunday.

Channel 13 News reported that Israel has already agreed to a humanitarian cease-fire proposed by Egypt, but Islamic Jihad has refused the offer.

Walla News reported that the Israeli government wants to prevent the humanitarian situation in Gaza from deteriorating in order to keep Hamas from joining the fighting.

About 600 rockets have been launched by Islamic Jihad at Israel since the fighting began on Friday afternoon. The IDF has struck about 150 Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza since then.

Officials in Gaza have said that 29 people have been killed in the Hamas-run enclave. Israel has said that nine of those people where killed by Islamic Jihad rockets which misfired and fell in Gaza.