The United States is giving in to growing international calls for “humanitarian pauses” in the Gaza raids – also demanded by the EU – and is putting pressure on Israel to accept them by allowing aid to enter and foreigners to leave facilitate the release of the hostages. The Washington Post highlights the Biden administration’s “sudden policy shift” as the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip worsens. According to the American newspaper, David Satterfield, President Joe Biden’s special envoy for the humanitarian situation in Gaza, has been in Israel in recent days to try to make progress on both aid and departures to Egypt. But according to US, UN, Egyptian and Israeli officials, no significant progress has actually been made.
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And negotiations are underway, the Post emphasizes, to figure out what Israel wants to get in return for the break. Hamas has said it is prepared to release all non-Israeli hostages in exchange for a limited ceasefire, including citizens of 41 countries among about 200 prisoners, although both the United States and Israel have concerns about this and are considering a release Israeli civilians will be held hostage if other demands are met, including the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners. At the same time, no one, including at least 400 American citizens and their families, has been able to leave Gaza since the border was closed shortly after the war began. Egypt says its side of the border crossing is open but Palestinians cannot cross because Israel refuses to stop its airstrikes.
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A source familiar with Israel’s position in discussions about the border situation said that the Jewish state “has no problem with people leaving Gaza to go to Sinai. The problem is what comes in, not what goes in.” Rather, “it’s an Egyptian problem, they fear that if they open Rafah” to let foreigners out, “a hundred thousand people will break down the gates.” A war of nerves continues to rage in the Middle East.
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