Analysis of Israel’s limited ground operations in Rafah for “Hamas pressure”,
Ground training in Israel Israeli soldiers conducting infiltration training near the Kerem Shalom checkpoint, located near the southernmost city of Rafah in the Palestinian Gaza Strip on the 7th (local time). Yonhap News Agency,
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, ‘As the fate of Rafah in the Palestinian Gaza Strip hangs in the balance with the start of the ground operation by the Israeli military, ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas resumed on the 7th (local time) in Cairo, Egypt. Amid evaluations that Israel’s control of Rafah checkpoints is a strategic move to pressure Hamas in ceasefire negotiations, foreign news outlets emphasized that this “Cairo meeting” is the last chance to prevent tragedy.’,
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, ‘According to Reuters and others, Jon Kirby, the National Security Council’s senior director for strategic communications at the White House, announced in a briefing that Israeli and Hamas delegations had arrived in Cairo and negotiations had resumed. He stated, “If you carefully evaluate the positions of Israel and Hamas, you can see that both sides need to narrow their differences,” and added, “We will do everything we can to support that process.”‘,
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, ‘Foreign news reports express hope that amid Israel’s recent closures of the Kerem Shalom and Rafah checkpoints and the deployment of tanks, there is still a possibility of reaching an agreement, with the intention of pressuring Hamas before engaging in a full-scale conflict.’,
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, ‘The United States, which is making intensive mediation efforts, has also intervened to pacify Israel. The U.S. government has dispatched CIA Director William Burns to Cairo to facilitate behind-the-scenes coordination of disagreements between Israel and Hamas. Director Burns is scheduled to meet directly with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel. Additionally, Axios, citing U.S. officials, reported that President Joe Biden believes that Israel has not yet crossed a “red line” by taking control of the Rafah checkpoint.’,
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, ‘Israel and Hamas exchanged heated remarks on this day as well. Prime Minister Netanyahu, in a video message, stated that Hamas’ ceasefire proposal is intended to hinder the Rafah incursion operation and that it is far from meeting Israel’s demands. Hamas spokesperson Osama Hamdan countered by saying, “If the Israeli military attacks continue in Rafah, there will be no ceasefire negotiations,” and added, “Israel’s military operation in Rafah cannot be a picnic.”‘,
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, ‘The New York Times identified the interpretation difference over the phrase “sustainable peace” in the Egyptian mediation proposal as the major obstacle to ceasefire negotiations. The newspaper assessed, “Hamas interprets the term as meaning a permanent cessation of hostile activities and a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. However, Israel, while not ruling out the possibility of discussing a permanent ceasefire later, is unlikely to promise to do so from the outset.”‘,