JERUSALEM - National police headquarters issued an order Monday to cease the delivery of mail throughout Israel following the discovery of what is believed to be a package bomb at a post office in Migdal Haemek.

The order was issued after a citizen picked up the package from the post office in the northern Israeli town, and on her way out noticed wiring and batteries sticking out.

Sappers were then called to scene to neutralize the package.

Police subsequently canceled mail delivery for the rest of the day in order to launch searches of mail depots and warehouses throughout Israel.

A strict gag order has been placed on nearly all details of the case, but police did say that citizens are advised to exercise great caution when receiving any mail.

In a related incident, a suspicious object was discovered in a post office in a Beit Shemesh mall. Police sappers rushed to the scene, and the entire complex was evacuated. However, the object turned out to be harmless, and the mall returned to its routine.