The ability to prevent Palestinians from traveling from Gaza’s south to its north was the biggest leverage Israel had over Hamas and was one of the sticking points in the negotiations over the last few months.
In the weeks before the hostage deal was signed, Israel tried to send as many Palestinians south as possible, on the one hand, to operate freely against terrorists in the northern areas of the Gaza Strip, and on the other, to pressure Hamas to agree to a hostage deal.
“We won’t allow people to go freely from the southern part to the northern area; everyone will be checked,” was the promise from Israeli officials for months. But the pictures from the last 24 hours, show this promise was a fantasy. People are traveling freely, with Hamas’s terrorists seen along the way.
Yes, there was an article in the hostage deal signed two weeks ago that cars would be checked, but from the images on the ground, that isn’t exactly happening. Even if it is eventually enforced, terrorists have moved, with weapons, without being checked, which will change the landscape in the north of the enclave that the IDF worked tirelessly to clean of terrorists.
Hostage deal negotiations
Hamas demanded during the hostage deal negotiations that half of the 600 humanitarian aid trucks going into Gaza would go to the northern areas to convince the people to return.
So, when Israeli officials say “If we need to we will return to war,” that might be true, but the landscape will be completely different from where they left it, with the Netzarim Corridor dismantled and IDF soldiers going back to fight in areas that will be filled with Palestinians and who knows how many terrorists.
It’s no wonder then, why Hamas worked very hard to reach a compromise on the release of Arbel Yehud in exchange for freedom of movement.
On Saturday, after the release of 3 hostages, Israel will lose more leverage with 50 injured Hamas terrorists daily being allowed to leave the enclave via the Rafah Crossing. With more than 4 weeks left of phase one of the hostage deal, there is nothing preventing Hamas from returning to its old tricks and manipulation when it comes to releasing the hostages.
Moreover, what leverage will Israel have when the talks for phase two start next week, on day 16 of the ceasefire? What pressure will Israel have to bring Hamas to sign a deal that can bring all the hostages home?