The United States is pressing the Israeli occupation entity to expand operations at the Rafah crossing to allow the entry of goods and humanitarian aid into Gaza, moving beyond the current limited passage of pedestrians, according to Zionist journalist Lisa Rozovsky in Haaretz. The push comes amid stalled reconstruction efforts, which have largely relied on the Kerem Shalom crossing for aid delivery.
US Seeks Broader Access Through Rafah
Rozovsky cited an Israeli source familiar with US-Israeli coordination, who said the US State Department is advocating for Rafah to be activated for the transport of supplies and equipment. The source warned that reliance on Kerem Abu Salem creates a “bottleneck” that prevents meaningful progress in reconstruction, even on a minimal scale. The pressing question, the source added, is how long Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can continue delaying the step.
Private Security Companies in Talks
The report noted that US company US Solutions, which operates aid centers for the Gaza Humanitarian Fund (GHF), is in discussions with US and Zionist authorities to secure the crossing if American pressure succeeds. However, Rozovsky wrote, this scenario is unlikely until an agreement is reached with Hamas on disarmament.
An Israeli source indicated that Israel prefers using American forces—or at least private security contractors—to prevent smuggling, rather than relying on Egyptians, Europeans, or Palestinians. Other private military companies are reportedly seeking to participate in this effort.
Dozens of bodies and remains of Palestinians previously held by Israel have arrived in the Gaza Strip via Red Cross vehicles, as part of the exchange deal. pic.twitter.com/1oAhNnr6fn
— Eye on Palestine (@EyeonPalestine) February 4, 2026
Netanyahu Emphasizes Hamas Disarmament
Following a meeting with US special envoy Steve Witkoff, Netanyahu issued a tense statement focusing on Gaza rather than the previously expected Iran file. He reiterated that disarming Hamas and removing weapons from the Strip is a “non-negotiable condition” before any reconstruction can begin.
No statements were issued by Witkoff or the White House, which Rozovsky interpreted as a sign of diverging positions between the US and the Israeli enemy. Netanyahu also informed US Ambassador to the occupied territories Michael Herzog of what he described as the misuse of UNRWA aid bags to conceal weapons—a move the journalist highlighted as unusual, given Herzog’s presence at the meeting with Witkoff and reported tensions between the two US officials.
Netanyahu Leveraging US Divisions
Rozovsky concluded that Netanyahu appears to be exploiting growing divisions within the US administration to resist international and American pressure aimed at accelerating aid delivery and the reconstruction of Gaza.