Hamas offers concessions as Netanyahu holds tanks metres from Egypt; America remains powerless.

By Elijah J. Magnier

Israel has moved its occupation forces to control three kilometres of the 14-kilometre “Philadelphi Corridor”, a buffer zone separating Egypt from Gaza, including the crucial Rafah crossing. With this manoeuvre, not contested by the US, Israel is now exercising total control over all humanitarian aid entering Gaza, with the ultimate aim of replacing Hamas with a local authority to oversee the distribution of assistance in the besieged enclave. This aid has become a vital lifeline for Gaza’s 2.4 million people. Israeli tanks now stand just metres from the Egyptian army, which has issued a stern warning, describing Israel’s military presence as a direct threat to its national security. In a calculated response, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi met with military officers at the Egyptian Military Academy to analyse the weaknesses of Israel’s fourth-generation Merkava tanks, sending an unmistakable message to Israel that raised tensions while reaffirming compliance with the 1978 Camp David Accords. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, surprised by Hamas’s acceptance of a proposed ceasefire, moved his tanks from the Karm Abu Salem and Kerem Shalom to the Rafah crossing and to al-Shawka, east of Rafah, and the airport area where they were met with stiff resistance. This manoeuvre underlined his belief that ending the conflict would jeopardise his hold on power, ignoring US guarantees for successful negotiations. To temper Israel’s enthusiasm, CIA director William Burns spent two weeks shuttling between Cairo and Qatar before arriving in Israel to negotiate with Netanyahu and Mossad chief David Barnea on behalf of President Joe Biden. 

Hamas concessions and Netanyahu’s position