GNITN - Special Edition

Israel At War Day 643

Something Has To Give

Small But Significant

As the talks for a ceasefire deal continue to heat up, the hindrances are becoming clearer as we read in a report from World Israel News:

Israel’s refusal to withdraw from the Morag Corridor in southern Gaza is holding up a proposed hostage deal and ceasefire agreement, according to a report by Ynet on Wednesday.

This corridor is a key component to Israel’s war plans:

The 12-kilometer route, seen as critical to Israel’s war strategy, has become the main obstacle to advancing talks, despite growing pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump and international mediators. The corridor, located between Rafah and Khan Younis, was captured by Israeli forces three months ago.

Much like the border between Egypt and Gaza, this one is just as important and one Hamas wants to control again:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly emphasized its strategic importance, calling it essential for dividing Gaza and weakening Hamas.

The goal is to move all Gazans to this area and this path of land is integral to doing that:

Israel plans to build a “humanitarian city” near the corridor on the ruins of Rafah to house displaced Palestinians. The government says military control of the route will help screen civilians returning to the area and create a buffer to keep Hamas fighters out.

As you can see, Israel still wants to eliminate Hamas and the terrorists want to either slow those plans down or stop them:

Hamas, however, is demanding a full Israeli withdrawal as part of any hostage release framework.

As talks are honing in on releasing the hostages, the PM sees holding onto the areas they currently control to do that:

Talks had been progressing toward a 60-day ceasefire that would include the release of hostages, the return of remains, and expanded humanitarian aid.

“The corridor is critical to our security,” Netanyahu said in an earlier televised address. “It enables us to put greater pressure on Hamas and secure the release of our hostages.”

The IDF Chief of Staff pretty much gave Hamas the way to stop the military takeover of more areas is simple:

According to the Ynet report, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, the IDF chief of staff, said Israel’s advance into southern Gaza was intended to pressure Hamas into negotiations.

“What will halt our advance is the release of the hostages,” he stated.

Both Israel and Hamas aren’t willing to budge on the Morag Corridor:

Despite a Qatari-brokered framework reportedly accepted by Hamas, Israeli officials remain firm.Defense Minister Israel Katz and other members of the security cabinet back maintaining control of the corridor. Katz previously said all of Rafah would be evacuated and turned into a security zone. The policy has drawn criticism from both Israeli and international figures who fear it reflects long-term territorial ambitions.

Not Going To Leave

Nothing about the control of the Gaza Strip is new to anyone listening for any amount of time. The Gazans don’t want to leave the area now as we read in an article from The Times Of Israel:

Whenever Mansour Abu Al-Khaier stares across Gaza, all the 45-year-old Palestinian man sees is death and destruction in the tiny enclave after nearly two years of war between Hamas and Israel. But even though Palestinian lives have been shattered during the course of Israeli airstrikes and heavy bombardment, Al-Khaier and others flatly reject US President Donald Trump’s Israeli-backed plan to displace Gaza’s 2.3 million population.

“This is our land. Who would we leave it to, where would we go?” asked Al-Khaier, a technician.

Even knowing how he and others feel about being relocated, talks of doing it are happening:

Trump, hosting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday, indicated progress on a highly disputed initiative to relocate Palestinians out of the coastal enclave, citing “great cooperation from… surrounding countries.”

Speaking to reporters at the start of a dinner between US and Israeli officials, Netanyahu said the United States and Israel were working with other countries that would give Palestinians a “better future,” suggesting that Gazans would be able to move to neighboring nations.

Netanyahu says no one is being forced to leave:

In an exchange with Trump, Netanyahu said: “You know if people want to stay, they can stay. But if they want to leave they should be able to leave. It shouldn’t be a prison. It should be an open place and give people free choice.”

He added: “We’re working with the United States very closely about finding countries that will seek to realize what they always say, that they wanted to give the Palestinians a better future. I think we’re getting close to finding several countries.”

As expected, the United Nations isn’t accepting that line of reasoning:

Asked about Netanyahu’s remarks, UN human rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani told a Geneva press briefing: “This raises concerns with regards to forcible transfer — the concept of voluntary transfers in the context that we are seeing in Gaza right now [is] very questionable.”

Relocation of Gazans isn’t a new development. It’s coming up again as talks of ending the war. More current Gazans aren’t happy about it surfacing now:

Saed, a 27-year-old Gaza Palestinian, woke up troubled to the news that Trump and Netanyahu were once again floating the displacement idea.

“We have the right to leave of our own free will and visit other countries, but we reject the plan of displacement as Palestinians,” he said.

The report goes on to give more examples of Gazans refusing to leave:

Gaza resident Abu Samir el-Fakaawi was not having any of it.

“I will not leave Gaza. This is my country,” he said. “Our children who were martyred in the war are buried here. Our families. Our friends. Our cousins. We are all buried here. Whether Trump or Netanyahu or anyone else likes it or not, we are staying on this land.”

A think tank reported in May that almost half of Gaza’s population was willing to apply to Israel to help them leave for other countries.

As we mentioned yesterday, Zephaniah 2 mentions Israel taking back the area. Obviously something has to give.