“Hamas is trying to insert a new deal into an existing deal.”
As negotiations drag on, one of the most delicate tests of Gaza’s U.S.-brokered ceasefire is playing out beneath Rafah, where up to 200 Hamas fighters are trapped in tunnels within Israeli-controlled territory.
For Washington, the standoff is a test of whether Hamas can be disarmed without jeopardizing the truce. “It’s a balancing act for the United States,” said Joe Truzman of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. “In part, it is about protecting the ceasefire, but it is also about keeping Qatar and Turkey happy.”
Israel insists Hamas must first release the remains of four hostages before any new talks. “Hamas is trying to insert a new deal into an existing deal, and this is something Israel must reject,” said Kobi Michael, a senior national security researcher.
The tunnel crisis comes as violence surges in the West Bank, raising fears that local unrest could unravel the fragile ceasefire framework brokered by Washington.