Israel could take over Egypt Gaza border crossing

Reuters:

Israeli military plans in the Gaza Strip include the option of retaking the narrow stretch of land that separates the coastal enclave from Egypt to try to prevent Hamas from rearming, Western diplomats said on Monday.

Israel intensified its aerial bombardment overnight of the so-called Philadelphi corridor to destroy smuggling tunnels that the Islamist group could use to move longer-ranged rockets, leaders, fighters and funds in and out of the war zone.

Western diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, described a ground operation to retake the Philadelphi corridor and parts of the town of Rafah as one of Israel's leading "third phase" options if talks over a ceasefire founder.

A ground operation along the corridor would allow Israel to use bulldozers and sonar equipment to root out tunnels that have yet to be destroyed with air power alone.

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The sandy stretch is only a few hundred metres (yards) wide in some areas, leaving ground troops open to rocket attacks and ambush.

That was a big factor in Israel's decision to leave the corridor when it withdrew troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip for 2005.

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Israel could sweep through the Philadelphi corridor and withdraw quickly. But barring a diplomatic solution acceptable to Israel, its ground forces could end up staying there long-term, increasing the risks, diplomats said.

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Israel should control this point if it wants to make sure weapons are not being brought in. What Israel has found is that by leaving it did not avoid attacks, it only made its noncombatants inside Israel more vulnerable to attacks by an enemy that will attack Israels where ever they are. It is better to have troops at strategic locations and give them the fire power and the authority to use it if they are attacked. What that means is more than punitive responses, but attacks on the Hamas death cult like the ones currently underway, if Israel is attacked wherever its troops are located.