Rafa Crossing's Usefulness and Headache For All

 Nadene Goldfoot                                         

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 government officially denies that the PA is in control and maintains that any 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.

Resource:

israelAM

https://www.npr.org/2024/03/02/1234439113/palestinians-leave-gaza-egypt-ala#:~:text=Al%20Organi's%20connections%20are%20key,pathway%20out%20is%20to%20pay.

https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-palestinians-hamas-rafah-1e1f8a208a58c0bb671b52304e2d6afa#:~:text=A%20lifeline%20for%20Gaza&text=After%20Hamas%2Dled%20militants%20invaded,borders%20of%20the%20pummeled%20territory.

https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-palestinians-hamas-rafah-1e1f8a208a58c0bb671b52304e2d6afa

The Cease Fires of the Gazan Israeli-Hamas War From October 7, 2023 and What They Lead To

 Nadene Goldfoot                              

A bus carrying Palestinians released from Israeli prisons is greeted by a

 crowd outside the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, on Monday.Anas Baba/NPR

After two years of war between Israel and Hamas, a ceasefire largely continues

 to hold. The initial phase of the ceasefire plan brokered by President Trump

 saw Israeli forces pulling back to agreed-upon lines in Gaza and the

release of nearly 2,000 Palestinians from Israeli prisons in exchange for the 20

 remaining living Israeli hostages held by Hamas and several bodies of 

deceased hostages.

There have been three formal ceasefires between Israel and Hamas

 in the Gaza war since October 7, 2023.

There is always a risk that relief operations negotiated in the context

 of a cease-fire may be used as a “bargaining chip” by the parties to

 the conflict, so as to obtain political or military compromises or to 

test the good faith of the adverse party or its ability to control its own

 troops or a given territory. Relief organizations must be aware of this

 risk and evaluate the danger that they may incur in the field because 

of this. Humanitarian assistance must not be conditional. 

  Below, female IDF on leave now: A hug 477 days in the making.  

     

The ceasefires are:

              November 2023-December 1, 2023 (1 week cease fire)

• First Ceasefire (November 2023): This was a temporary, Qatari-brokered truce that began on November 24, 2023, and lasted for a week with extensions until December 1, 2023. It facilitated the exchange of over 100 hostages for 240 Palestinian prisoners and allowed for an increase in humanitarian aid.
•          2 years later:  January-March 2025 (2 months cease fire)
• Second Ceasefire (January–March 2025): A second ceasefire was initiated in January 2025 as part of a multi-phase peace plan. This agreement was ultimately short-lived, with hostilities resuming in March 2025. (2 months)

      7 months later: October 10, 2025-December 9, 2025 (2 months with violations) 

• Third Ceasefire (October 2025 – present): A U.S.-brokered comprehensive peace plan led to a third ceasefire agreement, which formally went into effect on October 10, 2025, and is currently in effect December 9, 2025 . Both sides have accused each other of numerous violations since it began. 

83 hostages were killed in Gaza, 168 hostages survived and were returned. As of November 25, 2025, 1 hostage's remains are still in Gaza. On 22 October 2023, a list of the 204 hostages was published. According to Israel, at least 250 additional individuals were captured on the first day of the war, but rescued that day.

Israel couldn't even hold negotiations about it.  "On 10 October 2023, the spokesperson for Hamas's military wing Abu Obaida broadcast a message on Al Jazeera that Hamas would not consider any hostage negotiations unless Israel ceased any military effort to respond to Hamas attacks."  Insane!!! One does not stand still and allow someone to keep on hitting them first in a surprise attack when there was no call for such an attack; and their attack was unlike any other in the world except in ancient days.  It was the goriest.  

Of the wounded hostages that died in Gaza, Then 8 months later, "As of 6 June 2024, Hamas refused to allow representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross to meet with the 7 October hostages in Gaza.  The hostages are believed to have been dispersed among different Hamas members and factions, as well as among other militant groups, gangs, and families."           

      Benjamin Netanyahu's family portrait

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said a second phase of the US-brokered plan to end the war in Gaza is close - but that key issues still need to be resolved.

Under the second phase of President Donald Trump's plan, Israel should withdraw its troops further from Gaza as a transitional authority is set up and an international security force is deployed. Hamas is meant to disarm and reconstruction to begin.

With questions outstanding over Hamas disarmament, one senior official has suggested the group is ready to consider "freezing or storing" its remaining weapons.

The US and other mediators have been applying pressure on both sides to advance to the next stages of Trump's plan.

Reuters

Red Cross teams are assisting Hamas's search for the body of the last

dead hostage in Gaza.

Resource:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaza_war#:~:text=Contents,12.1%20Regional%20impact

https://guide-humanitarian-law.org/content/article/3/cease-fire/#:~:text=CeaseFire,between%20parties%20to%20a%20conflict.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaza_war_hostage_crisis#:~:text=83%20hostages%20were%20killed%20in,war%2C%20but%20rescued%20that%20day.

https://www.npr.org › 2025/10/15 › nx-s1-5574119

Marjorie Taylor Greene and AIPAC

 Nadene Goldfoot                                          

Marjorie Taylor Greene (b:27 May 1974) 51 years old, was on CNN this morning being interviewed about all the things she has said.  She recently has been telling her viewers that AIPAC is telling people not to release the Epstein Files, so she figures that Epstein has been a spy for Israel!!  Gosh! Epstein was Jewish!  By the way, she doesn't like the government of Israel at all, said she.  Oh yes, but she is not anti-Semitic, she said.  

She is one spreading this:  

• Intelligence Allegations: Speculation has widely circulated, primarily from a single unverified source, that Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell worked for Israeli intelligence (Mossad) to collect blackmail material on powerful individuals. This has been forcefully denied by former Israeli officials, including former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, as "categorically false". Recent news reports, however, continue to explore Epstein's personal and business ties to powerful Israeli figures, such as former Prime Minister Ehud Barak.
• Political Debate Over Files: The issue has entered the U.S. political arena, with some politicians and commentators linking the two entities. The release of the "Epstein files" has been a point of contention in Congress. Some representatives and online discussions have alleged that AIPAC-aligned politicians in the House blocked efforts to force the release of all related documents, using this as an example of the lobby's perceived influence on U.S. policy.
  
  Georgia U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene appeared to be practicing her shooting skills from her back porch.
• And here I thought most were worried about being connected to a sex scandal !  AGAIN !  IT'S ISRAEL'S AT FAULT !  Next they'll have us drinking Christian blood again, or causing hurricanes- both things thrown in our faces in the past.  
• Public and Media Discourse: Discussions linking AIPAC and Epstein often appear in news articles, podcasts, and social media, particularly in the context of foreign influence in U.S. politics and the push for transparency surrounding Epstein's connections to elite circles. These discussions intensified around the time of the release of some Epstein-related court documents in late 2024 and early 2025.
• Direct Mention in Politics: The connection has been explicitly raised by political figures. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Rep. Ro Khanna, for instance, have mentioned AIPAC and the "Epstein files" in the same breath, often in the context of political attacks or legislative efforts. 
• It just happens that U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene's recent stance on Israel has marked a significant break from the traditional Republican party line, primarily centered on her characterization of Israel's war in Gaza as a "genocide" and her push to cut U.S. military aid. Well, this is what I'm fighting against, in that this genocide is somethinghappening against Israel's will to exist, being a war and all, and the Hamas keeping the people in place-it's as long and dreadful story.  But she hasn't wondered why Israel has suddenly changed overnight other than October 7th. I guess that's asking too much of leadership.  
• In fact, Genocide Accusation: Greene is the first Republican lawmaker to publicly describe the crisis and "starvation happening in Gaza" as a genocide. She has equated the suffering of innocent people in Gaza with the horrors of the October 7, 2023 attack in Israel, arguing that both are horrific.  
• Funding Cuts: Earlier in 2025, Greene led a failed effort to strip $500 million of American military funding for Israeli missile defense systems (like Iron Dome) as part of an annual defense bill. The amendment was overwhelmingly rejected by a 422-6 vote in the House. She argues that the U.S. should prioritize its own border security and stop funding foreign wars, aligning with an "America First" agenda.                 
•                                  AIPAC
• Criticism of Israeli Government: Greene has accused the "secular government of nuclear armed Israel" of being in the process of "systematically cleansing" Palestinians from the land. She has also questioned the "incredible influence" of the pro-Israel lobby, AIPAC, and called for it to be registered as a foreign agent.
• Next I'll have to write an article about how much AIPAC is a help, and not a hindrance which is a legal entity. 
•  

Qatar's New Fancy Resort In Egypt

 Nadene Goldfoot                       

     The Dream Beach of Tel Aviv :  seafront view

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!
• That's what Democracy is all about!  
• Resource:
• israelAM
• https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/26/world/trump-promotes-gaza-plan-ai-video-intl#:~:text=US%20President%20Donald%20Trump%20posted,owned%20by%20the%20United%20States.