Israel Pressures Egypt to Act Against Hamas Smuggling
In a report released today by the Wall Street Journal, it was revealed that Israel is putting pressure on Egypt to help combat the smuggling activities of Hamas in the Philadelphia area along the border of the Gaza Strip and Egypt. The report states that Israel has requested for Cairo to install a warning system along the axis to alert them of any attempts by Hamas to rebuild underground tunnels used for smuggling weapons into the Strip.
Furthermore, Israel has also asked for permission to send surveillance drones to the area in the event that the warning system is activated. However, Cairo has pushed back, stating that the activation of drones would be a violation of Egyptian sovereignty.
Negotiations between the two countries have become stuck, with no resolution in sight. This news comes after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly emphasized the importance of the Philadelphia axis being under Israeli control.
The report has sparked discussions about the handling of the Rafah issue, the only central settlement in the Gaza Strip where IDF ground forces are not yet operating significantly. The complications of handling Rafah are heightened by the large population of evacuees from other territories in the Gaza Strip, as well as its reputation as the “smuggling capital” of the Strip.
As tensions continue to rise and negotiations stall, the international community is closely watching the developments between Israel and Egypt in their efforts to combat Hamas smuggling activities in the region.