Report: Rafah op focused on transferring control of crossing from Hamas to private US firm

Israel has promised the United States and Egypt that its limited operation in the Gazan city of Rafah is focused on getting the Rafah Crossing with Egypt out of Hamas’s control to prevent the smuggling of arms and other banned goods, Haaretz reports.

The plan, according to the report, is to transfer control of the key crossing to a private American security firm after the IDF concludes the offensive. It says negotiations are ongoing with the unnamed company, which employs former elite US soldiers and is an expert on securing strategic sites in Africa and the Middle East. Israel and the US will help the firm if needed.

Israel has reportedly promised to only operate in the city’s eastern part, and not to damage border infrastructure.

Asked about the report in a press briefing, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller says, “I’m not aware of that at all.”