Osama Hamdan | UPROOTED PALESTINIANS: SALAM ALQUDS ALAYKUM

Rafah border crossing to be managed by private contractor: Haaretz

Posted on May 9, 2024 by uprootedpalestinians

May 8, 2024

Source: Israeli Media + Al Mayadeen

This photo shows a tank with an Israeli occupation flag on it entering the Gazan side of the Rafah border crossing in occupied Palestine, on Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (AP)

A new report by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz underscored a plot to take the Rafah border crossing away from Palestinian control in favor of giving it to a US security private contractor that would do “Israel’s” bidding.

In an exclusive for Israeli newspaper Haaretz, “Israel” has made a plea to the US regarding the takeover of the Rafah border crossing, saying it would be passed on to a private security contracting company.

This was offered up after “Israel” committed to “restrict its operation in Rafah”, which started on Monday, “aiming only to deny Hamas authority over the border crossing that connects Gaza with Egypt, and concentrating on the eastern side of the city.”

According to Haaretz, the Israeli occupation government, in order to secure the deal, has been negotiating with “a private company in the US that specializes in assisting armies and governments around the world engaged in military conflicts. The company has operated in several African and Middle Eastern countries, guarding strategic sites like oil fields, airports, army bases, and sensitive border crossings. It employs veterans of elite US Army units.”

Allegedly, Tel Aviv also pledged “not to damage the crossing’s facilities to ensure its continuous operation,” alleging that the “private American security company will assume management of the crossing after the IDF [Israeli occupation forces] concludes its operation.”

In turn, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, earlier claimed he had no information about such a plot to assume control over the Rafah border crossing.

In that regard, Haaretz also reported that Egyptian officials expressed opposition to an assault on Rafah because they were concerned that civilians might attempt to cross the border fence seeking shelter. Allegedly, they also warned that Hamas might try to breach the fence to assist Gazans in fleeing.

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Under the agreed terms between the three countries, once “Israel” finishes its ‘limited operation’ in the border crossing area, a US company will take over the operation of the facility. This responsibility includes overseeing goods entering Gaza from Egypt and preventing Hamas from regaining control of the crossing. “Israel” and the US will provide support to the company as needed.

Rafah has a long history of confrontations with "Israel", yet each time, Israeli occupation forces are met with the unwavering resilience of the #Palestinian people. pic.twitter.com/rW7l3ugC7N
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 7, 2024

The Israeli newspaper also claimed that Cairo complained against “Israel” on Tuesday after Israeli occupation troops shared videos showing the Israeli occupation flag being flown at the Rafah crossing. The Egyptians argued, allegedly, that such a public display undermined their efforts to diminish tensions in the area near their territory.

Rafah crossing purely Egyptian-Palestinian: Senior Hamas official

Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan made it clear on Tuesday that “the military operation in Rafah, if carried out by Israel, will not be a picnic” for the Israeli occupation forces, which were defeated and humiliated in all the areas they have entered in the Gaza Strip.

Speaking during a press conference in the Lebanese capital Beirut on Hamas’ acceptance of the ceasefire proposal presented by mediators Egypt and Qatar, Hamdan pointed out that the decision came as a result of long, difficult, complicated, and continuous negotiations over the past weeks and months.

He mentioned that the past period saw several proposals that did not meet the conditions of the Resistance or the demands of the Palestinian people, affirming that Hamas “adhered to its demands, showed flexibility where necessary, and set red lines that cannot be crossed or compromised.”

Hamdan stressed that Hamas’ acceptance of the ceasefire proposal stems from the movement’s responsibility before the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and its deep concern for its interests, rights, constants, and sacrifices, and from a positive response to the role of mediators in achieving this deal.

March 6, 2024

Source: Al Mayadeen

By Al Mayadeen English

Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan tells Al Mayadeen that all the Americans and Israelis want is a temporary truce and reject a permanent cessation of hostilities.

Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan affirmed that any negotiations not reaching their goal “will not continue,” pointing out that the Israeli occupation wants to “catch its breath and worsen the humanitarian crisis” in the Gaza Strip.

In an interview for Al Mayadeen, Hamdan mentioned that “the obstacle has been there since the first day when the first Paris Document was presented, and Hamas dealt with it realistically,” adding that “from the first day, it was clear that all the Americans and Israelis wanted was a temporary truce, while they refused to cease hostilities permanently.”

He said that Washington is concerned about being accused of covering the crimes of the Israeli occupation, noting that both the United States and “Israel” are maneuvering and trying to win some time.

The Palestinian official said that Hamas’ position was clear from the beginning, “that any information about the Israeli captives comes with a price,” adding that the movement demands a written agreement and cannot settle for less.

“If there are no clear answers, we cannot continue to go around in circles,” he stressed.

Regarding the dispute between the US administration and the Israeli leadership, Hamdan said that “it revolves around the interests of both parties in the region.”

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Touching on aid to the Gaza Strip, he highlighted that all air-dropped aid does not exceed the load of two trucks, pointing out that the US is taking part in the siege on Gaza.

The senior Hamas official made it clear that “those who want to come to Gaza to contribute to the liberation project are welcome, while those who want to partner up with the Israeli occupation will be treated as an occupier,” hoping that there will be a will to allow aid trucks into the besieged Strip.

He underlined that the more “Israel” escalates its aggression, the more it pushes the resistance to higher levels, highlighting that the current battle has shown that “the Axis of Resistance is moving to another stage that will lead us to comprehensive liberation.”

Hamdan insisted that this battle has a victorious path and the Palestinian people will be the ones to triumph, saying, “This battle is the first in the history of the conflict with the entity where the Palestinian narrative wins, thanks to the Resistance media.”

The official said that if there was a minimum of justice in international institutions, the Israeli occupation entity and its leaders would have been tried for war crimes.

He emphasized that the popular movement in Europe and its impact on governments cannot be ignored, adding that George Galloway’s victory in the Rochdale by-election is evidence of that.

Elsewhere, Hamdan praised Moscow’s role in supporting the Palestinian people.