Hamas Attempted to Transfer Injured Militants to Egypt Under Guise of Refugees, NYT

Hamas has attempted to transfer injured militants to Egypt under the pretext of being refugees, according to The New York Times, citing a representative from the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden.

The efforts to open the Rafah crossing on the border of Gaza with Egypt were briefly paralyzed due to Hamas's attempts to evacuate injured fighters from the enclave.

The publication notes that since the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, American officials involved in the opening of the crossing have stated that Hamas has been obstructing efforts to open the crossing by putting forward 'unfounded demands.'

Now, a source from The New York Times has explained that the movement has repeatedly provided Israel, the U.S., and Egypt with lists of injured Palestinians for evacuation alongside refugees and foreigners from Gaza. However, an audit has shown that many of the individuals on Hamas’s list were militants. Specifically, about one-third of the injured Palestinians on the initial list were identified as Hamas terrorists.

A source from the newspaper mentioned that negotiations regarding the evacuation of refugees and foreigners with Hamas have been conducted through representatives from Qatar, who have maintained contact with the Palestinian movement for a long time. Egypt, which is trying to avoid an influx of terrorists into its territory, is particularly concerned about the prospect of militants exiting Gaza.