Title: Israel’s Offensive against Hamas in Gaza Intensifies Tensions with Egypt
In an escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas, the offensive by Israeli forces in Gaza is threatening the peace agreement between Israel and Egypt. With tensions rising, the situation is posing a significant challenge for Israel as it tries to achieve its goal of crushing Hamas without jeopardizing its crucial relationship with Egypt.
One major point of contention is Israel’s desire to gain control over the Philadelphi Corridor, a vital buffer zone on the border with Egypt. Israel believes that taking control of this corridor is essential to complete its destruction of Hamas. However, Egypt is deeply concerned that an Israeli attack on Rafah, the southernmost town of Gaza, could trigger a massive wave of Palestinians fleeing into the Sinai Peninsula.
To prevent such displacement, Egypt is demanding that Palestinians be allowed to return to northern Gaza before any ground assault on Rafah. Egypt firmly believes it has complete control over the border and accuses Israel of lying about continued smuggling to justify seizing the corridor.
Israel, on the other hand, vows to maintain security control over Gaza and insists on gaining control over the Philadelphi Corridor, aiming to prevent a repetition of the October 7 attacks that originally triggered the offensive. The Philadelphi Corridor, a narrow strip that includes the Rafah crossing, is part of a larger demilitarized zone that has been a source of conflict and smuggling activity.
For years, smuggling tunnels beneath the Gaza-Egypt border were used to circumvent the Israeli-Egyptian blockade on Gaza. However, Egypt cracked down on these tunnels over the past decade, significantly reducing smuggling activity. Israeli researchers argue that the quantity of Hamas weapons found during the offensive suggests that smuggling continues, reinforcing Israel’s claim for border control.
Egypt’s concerns extend to the potential for militants to enter the Sinai Peninsula and create cross-border exchanges with Israel. This worry intensifies the dilemma faced by Israel, as abandoning its offensive without taking Rafah falls short of its goal to crush Hamas. Yet pushing too close to the border risks undermining the peace deal with Egypt and straining its relationship with its closest ally, the United States.
As the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, the delicate balance between achieving Israel’s objectives and preserving its peace agreement with Egypt remains uncertain. The stakes are high, with both countries grappling with the potential consequences of their actions, including a potential mass exodus of Palestinians and the threat of increased militant activity in the region.
