Tag: rafah crossing

"Rather than get Gazans to safety, the world’s humanitarian organs at every stage of the war have demanded that Israel cease fire, leaving Hamas in power with hostages in tow."

Retaking control over the buffer zone would mean Israel could block the Hamas tunnels in the area, ending the import of weapons and the ability of wanted Hamas terrorists to escape, possibly bringing Israeli hostages along with them.

Gazans said they are being asked to pay "coordination fees" by a network of fixers, brokers and couriers who allegedly have ties to the Egyptian intelligence services in charge of the exit list.

The handover from Hamas to the Red Cross was not smooth: the transfer site was changed at the last minute due to mobs of "innocent Gaza civilians" gathering around the vehicles.

"The Egyptians are prepared to allow American citizens and foreign nationals to come through the Rafah gate into Egypt. The Israelis have no issue with that. Hamas has been preventing their departure."

Supply trucks are still waiting in Al Arish in the Sinai for permission to enter the Gaza Strip, presumably with humanitarian supplies.

"We have informed US citizens in Gaza that if they assess it to be safe, they may wish to move closer to the Rafah border crossing."

To date, 39 people in Gaza have been diagnosed with the virus.

Nearly 1,100 Gazans will board planes to Saudi Arabia from Cairo for the minor pilgrimage to Mecca known as “Umrah.”

The Ramallah government accused Hamas of undermining its operations and detaining some of its workers.

The Palestinian Authority received control over the Rafah crossing as part of its 2017 so-called “reconciliation” deal for a “unity government” with Hamas, but pulled personnel this week.

The Gaza fishing zone would be expanded to 14 nautical miles. The Kerem Shalom and Erez crossings would open permanently.

Kerem Shalom has remained active for deliveries of food and medicine throughout all the closures.

It's unclear whether Gazans who are bright, educated, qualified and still have money, will also have enough faith left in the process to wait it out, or will take their chances and try to make it out anyway while they still can.

"The agenda was supposed to be a discussion on the current situation of the women of Sderot. But it somehow changed without our knowing about it to a discussion of how the women are doing in Gaza."

Recent surveys show that most Gazans still support Hamas, so they aren't likely to use this opportunity to leave Gaza forever.

"But if they try to transfer it through Egypt and the Rafah Crossing, we won’t have any control over the matter even though ... we made our position clear through the proper channels.”

Control over the crossing was to be transferred to Fatah by Egypt within the next two days.

"One people, one weapon" may apply to the Palestinian Authority under Mahmoud Abbas but not yet Gaza.

Talks are underway with Cairo to set a new date for the opening.

Egypt sent one million liters of the desperately-needed fuel to Gaza’s sole power plant 10 days ago.

Gaza-based Hamas PM Ismail Haniyeh is traveling to Mecca for the annual Hajj pilgrimage -- and then to Doha and Ankara.

Faced with a double barrel, Egyptian and Israeli, Hamas has come to its senses.