I'm John Bancher with my good colleague Jonathan Shanza, Senior Vice President, Foundation for the Defense of Democracy's Gaza.

The major combat operation declared at a finish some days back.

Now there are fresh rumors in all directions. We begin with the Philadelphia

corridor. It is unsolved at this moment as to whether that was a major

transit route underground for Hamas to re-arm itself and it could again, or if it was the

Rafa crossing and the Egyptian authorities cooperating or not blocking Hamas's supervisors at the crossing.

Is there any resolution of these questions, Jonathan?

Still no resolution. We continue to see figures from the Egyptian media pushing back most

separately against any allegation of impropriety on the part of the Egyptian regime. That rings hollow to me. I think we know and have long known that

Egypt has served as a logistical hub for some amount of weaponry that has gotten in. I think quite a bit at the end of the day.

And look, that may have something to do with a lax approach taken by the Israelis or by the United States but I think it is

really beyond question at this point that the Egyptians have had some involvement

they just don't seem to be ready to acknowledge wrongdoing they're digging in

I don't necessarily see the diplomatic ties between Egypt and Israel on the

rocks as a result of this but the tension has remained constant the the

inability or unwillingness of the United States to

to call for a reckoning of sorts is really what surprises me more than anything else.

And I do understand that this administration may be trying to get a deal done with

Egyptian help and that that's their top priority.

I understand this administration probably doesn't want to draw attention to the fact that its longest lasting peace agreement that the United States

as long as lasting peace agreement in the Middle East,

brokered between Israel and Egypt

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