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Israel sticks to its policy of invading Rafah… Fear of mass casualty of civilians
Negotiations remain deadlocked due to differences of opinion on whether to end the war or a temporary ceasefire
“This is a military operation as negotiating leverage”… CIA director to meet Netanyahu soon
Israel and Hamas negotiating delegations resumed negotiations on a ceasefire and hostage release under the mediation of the United States, Egypt, and Qatar in Cairo, Egypt, on the 7th (local time).
Hamas accepted the ceasefire plan presented by the mediators the day before, but it is expected to suffer because it includes measures that Israel did not agree to in advance, such as the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops and lifting the blockade of the Gaza Strip.
After announcing the resumption of negotiations at an online briefing on the day, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said, “A close evaluation of the positions of both sides suggests that both sides need to narrow the remaining gap,” and added, “We support that process.” “I will do everything I can to do it,” he said.
He explained that the ceasefire plan accepted by Hamas was an ‘amendment’ derived from the negotiated plan that was being discussed.
Although he hoped for an early conclusion to the negotiations, he maintained a cautious stance, saying it would be “reckless” to expect them to come to fruition.
Negotiation difficulties were expected.
Israel sent a negotiating team the previous day and assessed that “Hamas’s proposal is significantly insufficient to meet Israel’s core demands.”
Israel has consistently opposed a ‘permanent ceasefire’.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video message that day, “Hamas’s ceasefire proposal was intended to hinder the operation to enter Rafah,” and emphasized, “That did not happen.”
He said, “Israel cannot accept any proposal that threatens the safety of its citizens and the future of the country,” and added, “I have instructed the negotiation team to respond strictly to the release of hostages and security.”
The United States decided to dispatch William Burns, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), to Cairo to coordinate the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage release negotiations behind the scenes.
Director Burns plans to meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu to press for measures to protect civilians in Gaza.
The Israeli military previously took control of the Rafah checkpoint, the only passage from the Gaza Strip to Egypt, and also closed the Kerem Shalom border checkpoint, which allows entry into the Gaza Strip from southern Israel.
Fears of urban warfare in Rafah continue because major passageways have been secured to enable immediate wide-scale operations in the event of a breakdown in negotiations.
However, the United States, which is trying to prevent a ground war, drew the line that Israel’s takeover of the border checkpoint was not part of a large-scale Rafah offensive.
National Security Communications Advisor Kirby said Israel explained that it was an operation of limited scope, scale, and time to block Hamas’ ability to smuggle weapons and funds into the Gaza Strip.
According to the American daily Wall Street Journal (WSJ), experts evaluated Israel’s takeover of the Rafah checkpoint as a strategic choice directly related to ceasefire and hostage negotiations.
This is an attempt to increase negotiating power by sending the message to Hamas that Israel can conduct military operations wherever it wants.
However, tensions are growing as if negotiations break down, a street battle in Rafah, which will inevitably result in large-scale civilian casualties by the Israeli military, could become a reality at any time.
Concerns that the humanitarian crisis in Rafah will deepen are growing as two checkpoints, which are the main routes through which aid supplies enter the Gaza Strip, are blocked.
Currently, 1.4 million people, more than half of the Gaza Strip’s population of 230, have taken refuge in Rafah.
“The closure of the Rafah and Kerem Shalom checkpoints is particularly damaging to an already serious humanitarian crisis,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said.
Hamas also criticized Israel’s operation, saying there was a high risk of blocking the flow of humanitarian aid to Rafah, and urged “the United States and the international community to put pressure on Israel to prevent an escalation of war.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a briefing that she had heard that Israel would reopen the Kerem Shalom checkpoint on the 8th, saying, “It is unacceptable that they (checkpoints) have been blocked.”
