Understanding of the current scenario - Tense Peace Accord in Gaza Conflict Remains Delicate
The United States, being Israel's closest ally, is determined to prevent at all costs the collapse of the complicated peace talks over a truce in the Gaza conflict. In a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Joe Biden again emphasized the necessity of a deal including the release of prisoners held by Hamas, the Islamic extremist group. He brought up future discussions planned in Cairo, Egypt, aimed at removing any remaining hurdles. Later, Biden stated this on the X platform.
One of the main hurdles is Israel's demand for long-term control of the southern border between Gaza and Egypt by its security forces. The Israeli Prime Minister's office denied a media report claiming Netanyahu had consented to Israel's retreat from the so-called Philadelphi Corridor. Israel maintains that "all its war objectives, as endorsed by the security cabinet, must be achieved," including "assuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel's security." This necessitates securing the southern border.
Hamas accuses Israel of obstructing negotiations over an agreement by refusing to withdraw from the approximately 14-kilometer-long Philadelphi Corridor on the border with Egypt. The Islamists demand a complete Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza.
Contrarily, Netanyahu insists the army should continue controlling the corridor even after a truce, for example, to prevent weapons smuggling. Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi stated a few days ago during a visit to the area that the army can maintain control there, even without a constant presence and with only occasional invasions.
Israel announces defeat of Hamas bully boys in Rafah
Israeli Defense Minister Joav Galant declared during a visit to the border region between Gaza and Egypt that the local Hamas unit had been defeated. "The Rafah Wing has been defeated, and over 150 tunnels in this area have been destroyed," Galant declared. He instructed the troops to focus on destroying the remaining tunnels on the border between Gaza and Egypt in the upcoming days.
In the face of intense international criticism, Israel pushed into Rafah in May to eliminate the remaining Hamas forces there. Around one million refugees who were estimated to be living there departed the city once more. The Israeli troops also captured the Rafah border crossing into Egypt and the Philadelphi Corridor.
The dispute over control of this region is one of the issues mentioned by Biden in the negotiations over a truce and the release of hostages. According to a recent report by the U.S. news portal "Politico," citing two Israeli and two U.S. officials, a deal is on the brink of failure without a suitable alternative.
Fears of escalation in the Middle East
In the face of growing pessimism, Biden applied pressure on Netanyahu in the phone call. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, set to assume the presidency after the November 5 election, was also present at the conversation, the White House revealed.
Previously, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Israel, Egypt, and Qatar for consultations to facilitate breakthrough talks. The two Arab states, along with the U.S., are mediating between Israel and Hamas, as they do not engage in direct negotiations. According to Israeli journalist Barak Ravid, the next high-level meeting of the mediators is slated for Cairo this weekend.
"We must cross the finish line on the agreement for a truce and hostage release," Blinken stated upon departing from Qatar. Time is of the essence, he noted, as the lives of the hostages become increasingly precarious with each passing day.
If mediation efforts fail, a substantial escalation in the Middle East is feared. Following the killings of two high-ranking Israeli adversaries in the Iranian capital Tehran and the Lebanese capital Beirut nearly three weeks ago, Iran and the Hezbollah militia had threatened severe retaliation.
Against this backdrop, Biden and Netanyahu also discussed the ongoing U.S. initiatives to "support Israel's defense against all threats from Iran, including its proxy terrorist groups Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis," as the White House further stated.
The U.S. has continued strengthening its military presence in the region. According to the U.S. Central Command on the X platform, the aircraft carrier "USS Abraham Lincoln" and its escort ships have now arrived in the Middle East, in accordance with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's orders to expedite their deployment to the region. The aircraft carrier, armed with modern F-35 fighter jets, reinforces the "USS Theodore Roosevelt" already stationed in the area.
The Gaza war began with the worst massacre in Israel's history, perpetrated by Hamas and other extremist groups on October 7, 2022, resulting in over 1,200 deaths. Over 250 hostages were captured from Israel and taken to Gaza. During the subsequent Israeli offensive in the blockaded coastal strip, over 40,000 people were reportedly killed and nearly 93,000 others injured, according to figures from the Hamas-controlled health authority. These figures, which are not independently verifiable, do not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
The dispute over control of the Philadelphi Corridor, including the Rafah border crossing, is a contentious issue in the ongoing negotiations between Israel and Hamas, with both sides having different demands. During a visit to the border region, Israeli Defense Minister Joav Galant declared that the local Hamas unit had been defeated and over 150 tunnels had been destroyed.
Despite the ongoing international criticism, Israel has maintained its position on securing the southern border with Gaza, citing the need to prevent weapons smuggling. This issue was also highlighted by President Joe Biden during his negotiations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, making it a key point in the truce talks.
