Khaberni - The United States is pressuring Israel to transfer the responsibility of reconstructing Rafah city to the US command in Kiryat Gat, as part of the "Reconstruct Rafah First" project, according to the Hebrew site Walla today, Wednesday.
The project involves moving hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to Rafah after undergoing a security screening, ostensibly to prevent Hamas militants or their security apparatus from infiltrating and reasserting their control in the area. However, sources within the Israeli security establishment have expressed in internal discussions with American representatives that Rafah has not yet been "cleansed" of militants and that the tunnels have not yet been destroyed. In response to the Israeli reservations, the Americans said: "Things will move towards betterment. This will bring stability."
Officials in the Southern Command of the Israeli occupying forces estimate that returning Palestinians to Rafah may lead to the reconstruction of Hamas's military wing in the area, which Israeli sources claim is currently devoid of civilians except for militias loyal to Israel and about 150 resistance fighters trapped inside tunnels. Israeli officials also claim that repopulating Palestinians might aid in rebuilding tunnels designated for arms smuggling, and could resume drone-smuggling operations from Egyptian territories.
Political and security entities in Israel strongly oppose any attempt to advance negotiations with Hamas, until the remains of the last three Israeli prisoners in Gaza are returned, disarmament of the sector begins, and governance in the sector is transferred to a party other than Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.
Meanwhile, Channel 12 Hebrew, quoting an unnamed American official, said that the meeting, which was scheduled for today, Wednesday, and subsequently canceled, between American envoy Steve Witkoff and the leadership of Hamas in Turkey, headed by Khalil al-Haya, "was not postponed due to Israeli pressure." He clarified that the postponement was due to the cancellation of a meeting that was to be held in Turkey between Witkoff and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which was the main reason for the visit.
The American official's remark comes after a state of anger prevailed within the Israeli security establishment following reports of an anticipated meeting in Istanbul between Witkoff and Khalil al-Haya. The Hebrew site Walla reported, quoting officials familiar with the activities of the American headquarters in Kiryat Gat, who were not named, that "this meeting is considered as an acknowledgment of Hamas's status, and may complicate matters for Israel when moving to the next stage of negotiations with the movement."
