The 'Ceasefire Deal' Dangle: Gaza's Lifeline or Another Lease on Blockade?
📰 THE STORY: France 24 reports a 'ceasefire deal' will soon reopen the Rafah crossing, allowing desperately needed aid and potentially some movement for Palestinians in/out of Gaza. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: The Rafah crossing's restrictions are not new. After the 2007 siege of Gaza, Egypt, under pressure from Israel and the US, heavily restricted movement through
Rafah. During Israel's 2008-2009 'Operation Cast Lead,' which killed over 1,400 Palestinians, Rafah remained largely closed. Post-2013, when Abdel Fattah el-Sisi took power in Egypt, he intensified the blockade, demolishing homes and tunnels in the border area and sealing Rafah for extended periods, despite being Gaza's only non-Israeli controlled gateway. This wasn't 'security' but collective
punishment. Double Standard: When Western-backed governments besiege populations, it's 'counter-terrorism' or 'security measures.' When Russia blockaded Ukrainian ports, it was an egregious war crime. Yet, Israel, with ample Western support, has maintained an illegal 17-year blockade on Gaza, controlling every entry point, including Rafah via Egypt, turning a densely populated area into an
open-air prison, and now, a starving slaughterhouse. The media frames the 'reopening' as a concession, not a restoration of fundamental human rights consistently denied. Follow the Money: Aid money, particular from the U.S., plays a crucial role in maintaining this status quo. Egypt receives approximately $1.3 billion annually in U.S. military aid, conditional on maintaining its 'peace treaty'