A Biden administration official stated on Friday that the evacuation of Americans and foreign nationals from Gaza, which began on Wednesday, faced delays due to Hamas’ attempt to include their own wounded fighters in the evacuation process through the Rafah gate into Egypt.
This explanation offers insight into the details being negotiated with Hamas leadership while Israel initiated airstrikes in response to the Oct. 7 attacks from Gaza, where Hamas terrorists killed 1,400 people and took over 200 hostages. Hamas governs Gaza politically and also has an armed wing integrated within the civilian population.
Since shortly after Oct. 7, people with dual US or other foreign citizenship gathered at the Rafah border crossing, but it remained closed for weeks. American officials initially reported that Hamas was preventing the departure of foreign nationals and making unreasonable demands.
On Friday, a senior administration official provided more information about these demands while speaking anonymously with reporters. The official revealed that Hamas repeatedly submitted lists of wounded Palestinians who should be allowed to leave with Americans and others, but it was found that many of them were Hamas fighters upon vetting.
The official disclosed that approximately one-third of the wounded Palestinians on the initial list were Hamas fighters, which was deemed unacceptable by Egypt, the US, and Israel. The delays persisted because Hamas continued to submit lists that included its own members.
Biden administration officials have stated that the negotiations with Hamas for the release of Americans and foreign nationals were conducted indirectly through representatives from Qatar, who have maintained communication channels with Hamas.
The official revealed that Hamas eventually backed down on their demand for the passage of their fighters. This prospect alarmed Egypt, as it remains concerned about the influx of terrorists into its country.
Eventually, the parties reached an agreement on a list of wounded Palestinians who were not Hamas fighters. The official emphasized that these Palestinians who were evacuated were genuinely caught in the crossfire.
The official also noted that negotiations with Hamas and Israel for the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza posed challenges, but it is now expected that around 100 aid trucks will enter Gaza daily.