Hamas is preventing Gazan contractors from crossing Yellow Line to rebuild Rafah - report
The contractors were threatened at gunpoint by Hamas militants, who refused to permit them passage to the site. The contractors, who came from various parts of the Strip, were forcibly turned away.
Assessment
This incident reveals that Hamas retains operational control over movement and reconstruction inside Gaza, even as ceasefire talks focus on broader governance. The armed intimidation of civilian contractors signals that Hamas will not tolerate independent rebuilding efforts that might undermine its authority or create alternative power centers. The key question is whether this will derail the fragile reconstruction framework or provoke a response from Israel or international mediators.