Senior Israel Defense Forces sources expressed dissatisfaction Sunday with the security cabinet's instructions for the army to exercise restraint in the Gaza Strip.

The sources told Haaretz that the cabinet's decision, which was based on guidelines presented by the chief of staff's operations unit, prohibit any extensive operations in Gaza.

Air strikes on terror activity, also known as targeted strikes, are currently conditional on permission from both the prime minister and defense minister, instead of the chief of staff only.

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The new instructions were met with opposition from IDF field commanders in the Gaza Strip, who suspect that terror organizations will take advantage of the new policy to carry out terror attacks that the IDF would be prevented from thwarting.

Army sources said "the hierarchy is clear to us. The political echelon issues orders and the IDF carries them out. The question of our professional opinion has been irrelevant from the moment the orders were issued."

The security cabinet decided earlier Sunday to continue the policy of restraint in the Gaza Strip in order to maintain the cease-fire, despite ongoing Qassam rocket fire.

The ministers did not, however, extend the cease-fire to the West Bank.

Defense Minister Amir Peretz said during the full cabinet meeting earlier Sunday that the IDF and the Shin Bet security service will continue to operate in the West Bank in order to prevent terror attacks.

The cabinet met hours after a Qassam rocket struck in the Negev, causing no injuries or damage.

Meanwhile, Islamic Jihad warned Sunday that the truce is on the verge of collapse, and Hamas announced it is pulling out of talks between the Palestinian factions on extending the cease-fire to the West Bank.

In deciding to maintain the policy of restraint, the ministers adopted the position of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni over calls by Peretz and Public Security Minister Avi Dichter for preventative action against the Qassam fire.

Peretz said prior to the security cabinet meeting that the cease-fire agreement in the Gaza Strip is being observed only in part, and that they key to stability is Egypt's success in intercepting arms smuggling into the Gaza Strip.

The defense minister said also that the IDF would fire at Palestinians involved in launching rockets at Israel.

Olmert told the meeting "we must act responsibly and wisely, while considering all aspects of the matter."

Livni added that the "situation is sensitive, and we must act wisely and with serious consideration."

According to Peretz, the commander of the IDF Gaza Division has met the commander of Palestinian National Security in order to coordinate the monitoring of the truce.

He said 15 Qassams have been fired at Israel since the cease-fire was declared.

Senior IDF officers stated that despite the declared truce between Israel and the Palestinians, terror organizations have continued smuggling weapons and are preparing for another round of attacks, Army Radio reported.

IDF and Defense Ministry sources on Friday expressed hesitation to expand the cease-fire to the West Bank, saying the expansion will hurt the army's ability to handle terror in the area.

Government officials said in response that the army should only express its position at closed government meetings.

"The cabinet ministers should not have to hear the defense establishment's stand in the media," the radio quoted the unnamed sources as saying. "They should express their objections at cabinet deliberations."