The Israeli military released photos showing tanks and armoured vehicles at the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing
The Rafah Crossing is the sole border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt and has been a critical focal point for humanitarian aid and the movement of people during the ongoing conflict. The crossing's status is highly sensitive and subject to complex political and security dynamics involving Israel, Egypt, the Palestinian Authority, and Hamas terrorism.
Israel is under immense pressure, from the U.S. and Arab countries, to reopen the Rafah crossing to allow around 65,000 Gazans who fled during the war to return.
Rafa Crossing is a the bottom left corner, a crossing into Egypt from Gaza. As of early January 2026, the status of the Rafah Crossing remains uncertain and contentious.
Israeli Control:Israeli forces seized control of the Palestinian side of the crossing in May 2024 and maintained an operational presence there, effectively closing it to regular traffic.
Palestinians holding foreign passports collect their luggage as they prepare to cross to Egypt from the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing on Feb. 6.Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images
Recent Announcements & Closures: Israel announced in early December 2025 that it intended to reopen the crossing for Palestinians wishing to leave Gaza, reportedly due to pressure from the U.S.. However, shortly after this announcement, Israel closed the crossing again indefinitely in mid-October 2025, citing delays in Hamas returning the remains of hostages.
Egyptian Position: Egypt has insisted the crossing should be operated by Palestinian authorities and the EU mission, and has rejected Israeli proposals to coordinate its reopening under a "one-way traffic" plan (only allowing people to exit Gaza). Egypt is committed to allowing movement in both directions.
Egypt, meanwhile, says it wants the crossing immediately opened in both directions, so Palestinians in Egypt can enter Gaza. That’s a position rooted in "Egypt’s vehement opposition to Palestinian refugees permanently resettling in the country." Egypt is overpopulated as it is.
Palestinians who are foreign passport-holders get their documents checked to enter Egypt from the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border on Feb. 6. For most in Gaza — without foreign passports or approved reasons to leave such as for medical care — the only pathway out is to pay. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images
Humanitarian Impact: The closures have severely impacted the flow of humanitarian aid and the evacuation of thousands of sick and wounded Palestinians needing medical care outside of Gaza. Aid organizations state that the volume of aid entering is a fraction of what is needed to address the severe crisis and famine conditions in Gaza.
Saudi news outlet Al-Sharq reported Sunday that Egypt informed the Palestinian Authority (PA) that Israel would soon approve the reopening of Rafah in both directions.
As I see it, on October 7, 2023's invasion into Israel of the maddened crazy Hamas killers, acting as wildmen on drugs out for blood has curdled the feelings of Israelis left alive and all that has affected their thoughts about Rafah Crossing. As of January 2026, the Israeli governmentofficially denies that the PA is in controland maintains thatany internal management by non-Hamas Gazans is vetted and supervised by the IDF and the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency).
There is no trust for PA after that shock. One hostage hasyet to be returned and must do so to move things forward to thenext stage. Israel expecting this to be followed to the T is nothing compared to the brutality seen in the death of their families.
Palestinians pour into Egypt after militants blow hole in border barrier
Supposedly, When Palestinians cross into Egypt via the Rafah border, their activities are generally centered on seeking safety, medical care, education, or family reunification. The crossing is often the only exit from Gaza not controlled by Israel, and the process is usually arduous and expensive, involving significant wait times and permits.
Yes, Egypt has its own border control procedures and screens everyone entering its territory from the Rafah Crossing. The Rafah Crossing is currently closed but is expected to reopen soon, with new operational procedures involving both Egyptian and international monitoring forces.
Palestinians paying to exit Gaza is not a new phenomenon. In recent years, as Israel and Egypt have imposed strict border controls to contain Hamas' rule in Gaza, the Hala travel company offered regular border fee services on Egypt's border.
In an executive order yesterday, President Trump set the groundwork for the designation of chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations, which would prohibit American from doing business with them and allow their assets in the U.S. to be frozen.
Which brings us to the question; What is the Muslim Brotherhood all about? I know one thing; It's not good for the Jews. Even Egypt has not allowed them in their country.
The Society of the Muslim BrothersMuslim Brotherhood, is a transnational SunniIslamist organization founded in Egypt by Islamic scholar, Imam and schoolteacher Hassan al-Banna in 1928. Al-Banna's teachings spread far beyond Egypt, influencing various Islamist movements from charitable organizations to political parties.
As its influence grew, it opposed British rule in Egypt starting in 1936. al-Banna had been in contact with Amin al-Husseini (Sherif of Jerusalem-horrid rouser against Jews) since 1927.
A central concern for the early Muslim Brotherhood was its pro-Arab activism for the Arab-Zionist conflict in Palestine, which in 1936–1939 (dates connecting with rise of Nazis, WWII) culminated in the great Arab revolt. While absent before the outbreak of the revolt, the Brotherhood now began to make use of aggressive anti-Jewish rhetorics which also targeted the Jewish community in Egypt. The official weekly of the Brotherhood, al-Nadhir, published a series of articles titled "The Danger of Jews", warning of alleged Jewish plots against Islam like Freemasonry or Marxism.
In 1938al-Nadhir demanded from Egypt's Jews to either adopt an openly anti-Zionist stance or to face "hostility". It also criticized the prominent role of Jews in Egypt's society and their prominence in journalism, commercial spheres and the entertainment industry. al-Nadhir even called for a boycott and their expulsion, "for they have corrupted Egypt and its population."
In another instance the Jews were referred to as a "societal cancer".
The Brotherhood eventually distributed a list of Jewish business owners and called for their boycott, claiming that they supported the Zionists. Such conflations of Jews and Zionists were common.
Hitler with Amin al-Husseini: Haj Amin al-Husseini, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, met with Adolf Hitler onNovember 28, 1941, in Berlin, Germany. The meeting took place in the Reich Chancellery and lasted for approximately 75 minutes.During the meeting, al-Husseini expressed that Arabs were Germany's natural friends because they shared common enemies: the British, the Jews, and the Communists. He sought Germany's support for Arab independence and for the "removal" or "annihilation" of a proposed Jewish national homeland in Palestine.
In the years preceding World War II the Muslim Brothers grew connections with Nazi Germany, maintained via the Deutsches Nachrichtenbüro in Cairo and Amin al-Husseini,(worst anti-Semite of all) who himself received funds from the Abwehr.Al-Husayni spoke often of a "worldwide Jewish conspiracy" that controlled the British and US governments and sponsored Soviet Communism. He argued that "world Jewry" aimed to infiltrate and subjugate Palestine, a sacred religious and cultural center of the Arab and Muslim world, as a staging ground for the seizure of all Arab lands.
Being interested in strengthening a militant anti-British organization, Germany may have funded the Brotherhood as early as 1934. One later British source claimed that in 1936 alone, Germany transferred over £5.000. al-Banna and other members of the Brotherhood voiced admiration for aspects of Nazi ideology, including its militarism and its centralization revolving around a charismatic leader, but opposed others like its racial policies and ethnic nationalism.
The outbreak of the war ended the relationship between Germany and the Muslim Brothers. al-Banna denied that he had ever received German funding.Italian funding of the Brotherhood is unlikely, as the latter vehemently opposed the Italian occupation of Libya.
Morsi was first elected to parliament in 2000. He served as a Member of Parliament from 2000 to 2005, officially as an independent candidate because the Brotherhood was technically barred from running candidates for office under President Hosni Mubarak. He was a member of the Guidance Office of the Muslim Brotherhood until the founding of the Freedom and Justice Party in 2011, at which point he was elected by the MB's Guidance Office to be the first president of the new party.
While serving in this capacity in 2010, Morsi stated of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict that "the two-state solution is nothing but a delusion concocted by the brutal usurper of the Palestinian lands."I guess that's us, the Jews-the brutal usurpers.
The heads of state in Egypt who have been in opposition to the Muslim Brotherhood are Gamal Abdel Nasser, Anwar al-Sadat, Hosni Mubarak, and Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. All four have engaged in periods of repression, with el-Sisi outlawing the organization and leading a significant crackdown after his 2013 coup.
Zohran Mamdani won the New York City Mayor position against Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa. Cuomo, we've heard of. Before his mayoral bid, Andrew Cuomo was the Governor of New York. He resigned in 2021.
"Holy Land Five" Controversy: A 2025 New York Post article highlighted a 2017 rap song by Mamdani where he praised the directors of the Holy Land Foundation (HLF), a now-defunct charity that U.S. authorities in a 2008 trial found had funneled over $12 million to Hamasand the Muslim Brotherhood. Mamdani's lawyers stated that at the time of the song, the HLF leaders had not yet been convicted.
As far as that goes, in Support from Muslim Groups: Mamdani's campaign was supported by several Muslim advocacy and civil rights groups, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). Critics of Mamdani have alleged that CAIR or its associated PACs have ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, a claim that CAIR leaders have denied.
In fact;
Mamdani's Stance and Identity: Mamdani identifies as a Twelver Shia Muslim and a democratic socialist. Political analysts have pointed out that his progressive political platform—which includes support for LGBTQIA+ rights, universal childcare, and police reform—is in many ways inconsistent with the traditional conservative ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Does Muslim Brotherhood favor Shi'i or Sunni or both Muslim paths?
The Muslim Brotherhood, a Sunni Islamist group, and Shi'i Islamists have a complex relationship marked by both historical ideological influence and present-day political tension. Some Shia Islamists, like Iran's leadership, were influenced by Muslim Brotherhood thinkers such as Sayyid Qutb and could potentially form alliances based on shared opposition to the U.S.. However, their relationship is also strained by sectarian differences and political competition, particularly between Iran and Sunni-dominated states, and the Brotherhood's historically anti-Shia stance can also be a point of tension.
The primary, long-term goal of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) is
1. the establishment of a state, or
2. ultimately a global caliphate, governed solely by Sharia law.
A. This is to be achieved through a gradual, bottom-up Islamization of society, starting with individuals and families,
B. then expanding to the community
C. and state.
They are copying the aspects of our Jewish Law, as they have copied
much of our religion: Look:Sharia Prohibitions
Prohibitions in Sharia Law, which are considered haram (forbidden), include consuming pork and alcohol, gambling, interest-based transactions (riba), and certain types of contracts. Other prohibitions cover actions like murder and disrespecting parents, as well as specific practices such as the sale of intoxicating substances or illicitly obtained property. The prohibitions are diverse and range from personal conduct and dietary laws to financial and commercial activities.
Examples of prohibitions
Food and Drink: Pork, alcohol, blood, and animals that have not been slaughtered in the Islamic way are forbidden.
Financial Transactions:
Riba: The taking or giving of interest on loans or investments is prohibited.
Maysir and Qimar: Gambling and other games of chance are forbidden.
Gharar: Sales that involve excessive uncertainty, ambiguity, or fraud are prohibited.
Personal Conduct:
Actions like murder, theft, fornication, and disrespecting one's parents are prohibited.
Certain behaviors, like public displays of affection, may be restricted in some applications of the law.
Commercial Activities:
Trading in intoxicating substances is forbidden.
Selling or buying things that are inherently unlawful is prohibited.
And the worst: About Women:
Sharia law's impact on women is not uniform, as it varies greatly by country due to different interpretations. While some interpretations have historically granted women rights regarding property and divorce, many modern interpretations, especially in certain countries, restrict women's rights through laws that govern marriage, divorce, inheritance, and public conduct. These restrictions can include:
1. requirements for male guardianship
2. and modest dress,
3. with some harmful practices like child marriage and
4. female genital mutilation occurring under the guise of Sharia law. (they cut so the woman cannot enjoy sex.) Oy, vah ah voy!
Qatar will invest $29.7 billion in a luxury development, including golf courses and marinas, on a 4.5 mile stretch of Egypt's Mediterranean coast northwest of Cairo. The resort will be a year-round destination that will attract tourists and will also have luxury neighborhoods, schools, universities and government facilities. Is Gaza next?? Is Egypt looking ahead and will give Gaza's Trump facility competition? Too bad, French Riviera, and look out, Tel Aviv!
Tel Aviv, along the sea on the main drag...I remember walking in Tel Aviv and seeing all the restaurants with tables outside and people sitting there eating some fantastic concoctions, smaller tables in 1981. They never had to worry about the weather, anyway.
I believe Netanyahu is still the captain of his ship, Israel. He hasn't fallen overboard. He does have something to say about what is being planned in his country. It was more than great that USA stepped in at the brink of Israel's extinction and pulled it out, but....wait a little minute; these are two grandiose ideas.
Donald Trump has publicly discussed a radical proposal to transform the Gaza Strip into a "Riviera of the Middle East" with luxury development, including beach-side resorts, but this plan involves the controversial and widely condemned proposal of permanently relocating nearly all of the existing Palestinian population.This idea remains a hypothetical, controversial suggestion and not a concrete, implementable plan currently being actioned. From CNN:
US President Donald Trump posted a video on his Truth Social account late on Tuesday, which appears to have been created with generative AI, promoting the transformation of Gaza into a Gulf state-like resort featuring a golden statue of himself, a hummus-eating Elon Musk, and shirtless American and Israeli leaders lounging on a beach.
“No more tunnels, no more fear,” a voice sings over a dance beat. “Trump Gaza is finally here!”
The American president has proposed expelling 2.1 million Palestinians from Gaza and transforming the enclave into a “Riviera” that would be owned by the United States.
It has been met with significant criticism and is viewed by some as a negotiating tactic or a means to show support for certain Israeli political factions. Just look at what it entails:
U.S. Trusteeship: The United States would take over temporary ownership or a trusteeship of the Gaza Strip, dismantling weapons and clearing destroyed buildings.
Mass Relocation: The plan requires the permanent resettlement of Gaza's more than two million Palestinians to another unspecified location, with financial incentives reportedly offered to encourage them to leave. This aspect has raised serious concerns about forced displacement and potential war crimes under international law.
Redevelopment: As a real estate developer, Trump has highlighted Gaza's "phenomenal location, on the sea," suggesting it could be redeveloped into a magnificent high-tech and tourism hub with hotels and a "beautiful new land" for "the world's people".
Opposition: Palestinians have universally rejected the idea of leaving their land, and many outside observers and rights groups have condemned the proposal.
Now, just hearing about Trump's dreams, Cairo is getting on the
stick and making some grandiose plans as well. Good for them!
