The two Iranian-backed Palestinian terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, formally responded to the US ceasefire proposal on Tuesday, demanding several changes, including border controls between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.
President Joe Biden announced the three-phase plan on May 30, but did not call for Hamas to disarm and withdraw from power. He falsely claimed the plan was Israeli. The State Department acknowledged that the plan was in fact largely identical to Hamas’ demands, not Israel’s.
Israel went along with the plan on the condition that it not abandon its basic objective of destroying Hamas, which launched unprovoked terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7.
The United States codified the plan in a non-binding UN Security Council resolution passed on Monday, and on Wednesday Hamas submitted a response to Qatari and Egyptian mediators, calling for further negotiations.
Axios report:
Hamas has given a formal response to the Israeli proposal on the hostages and ceasefire agreement to Qatari and Egyptian intermediaries, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
…
Hamas’ response included comments on the content of the ceasefire and a demand for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Rafah checkpoint and the Philadelphia Corridor connecting Egypt and the Gaza Strip.
The Philadelphia Corridor is a road that runs along the Gaza side of the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. It is a major smuggling route used by Hamas to bring weapons and supplies from the Sinai desert into the Gaza Strip.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) recently took control of the entire Philadelphia Corridor, destroying dozens of open-air terror tunnels and rocket launchers. The IDF also uncovered an elevated highway that allowed Hamas to transport supplies across the Egyptian border without being checked by Egyptian or international authorities.
Controlling the border would allow Hamas to rearm, so Israel’s demand for the Philadelphia Corridor is probably unreasonable.
Joel B. Pollack is executive editor of Breitbart News. Breitbart News Sunday The show airs Sunday nights from 7 to 10 p.m. (4 to 7 p.m. ET) on SiriusXM Patriot. He is the author of his recently published e-book,The Zionist Conspiracy (And How to Join It)” is available on Audible. He is also the author of an e-book. Not Free or Fair: The 2020 US Presidential ElectionHe is the recipient of the Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship in 2018. Follow him on Twitter. Joel Pollack.
