Egypt has facilitated the return of Hamas and other terrorists to the Gaza Strip on at least two recent occasions, causing deep concern in Israel’s security establishment.

On September 30, more than 80 Palestinians, including terrorists wanted by Israel, crossed into the Gaza Strip from Egypt, according to Hamas and Israeli officials. The Palestinian news agency Maan reported that Egypt allowed 30 or so more Palestinians through the Rafah crossing into the Gaza Strip October 9.

The Palestinians who have crossed the Egypt-Gaza border in the past two weeks include members of the military wings of both Hamas and the terrorist group Islamic Jihad, as well as two Hamas legislators. Security sources say that some have received extensive military training in Iran and Syria. Some of the other terrorists had been abroad seeking medical treatment after fighting in the second intifada, according to Maan.

“They are not people we would have been eager to let in,” said Shlomo Dror, a spokesman for the Israeli government department that oversees the Gaza border crossings.

Haaretz.com reported, “Israeli security sources expressed concern that these ‘experts’ were allowed into the Strip because of their ability to bolster terrorist organizations in specialties such as rocket and mortar attacks, sophisticated explosive devices, sniping, and commando raids” (October 2).

An Israeli source said that the group did not sneak into the Gaza Strip, “but entered through the main gate, with permission and coordination with the Egyptians.”

Witnesses said the Palestinians arrived at the border in Egyptian buses and were met by Hamas security men on the other side.

Israel lost effective control over who enters Gaza from Egypt when it relinquished jurisdiction over the crucial Rafah crossing in late 2005. Then, when European Union monitors left after Hamas took over in June, Israeli influence over activities at the crossing ceased altogether.

Still, in the past four months, Israel had successfully pressured Egypt to prevent the group of terrorists from entering Gaza. Cairo reversed its position last week, however, following an apparent deal concluded between Hamas and Egypt.

Although Egypt has downplayed its cooperation with Hamas, there is no doubt about whose side Egypt is on. Though Cairo publicly broke ties with Hamas after the terrorist group’s takeover of the Gaza Strip, evidence suggests this was more a political than a practical step.

Though Egypt is performing a balancing act, its sympathies clearly lie with the Palestinians. Cairo is not moderate, as America and Israel like to believe. This recent gesture is symbolic of the general sympathy Egypt has for the cause of radical Palestinians.

Watch for Egypt to grow even more outwardly hostile to Israel in the near future as it becomes more radical. Biblical prophecy indicates Egypt will join forces with the rising king of the Middle East, Iran.