Agencies
Tel Aviv/Palestinian Territories
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his military must retain open-ended control over Gaza’s southern border area with Egypt – known as the Philadelphi Corridor – digging in on a position that threatens to derail ceasefire efforts.
Netanyahu’s stance on the corridor – which was seized by Israeli forces in May – has become the key obstacle to reaching a ceasefire deal in Gaza as pressure mounts on the Israeli leader amid mass protests domestically demanding that a deal be reached that brings captives home and international outrage as the number of Palestinians confirmed killed by Israel’s military in Gaza nears 41,000.
“Gaza must be demilitarised, and this can only happen if the Philadelphi Corridor remains under firm control,” Netanyahu told foreign journalists on Wednesday.
Netanyahu said Israel must maintain control of the corridor to prevent weapons being smuggled into Gaza and that Israel would only consider withdrawing from the strategic location when presented with an alternative plan to police the area. Netanyahu has faced searing criticism from many in Israel for his position on the Philadelphi Corridor, including from within his own military and security establishment who believe Israeli troops do not need to be permanently based in Gaza.
Egypt, a mediator in the ceasefire talks along with the US and Qatar, has also demanded a concrete timeline for Israel’s withdrawal from the corridor which runs along its border. The United Arab Emirates, which established formal ties with Israel in the 2020 Abraham Accords has also criticised Israel’s decision to control the corridor on Wednesday.
In a statement released on Thursday, Hamas blamed Netanyahu for the ongoing impasse in ceasefire talks and accused the Israeli leader of wanting to prolong the war on Gaza. “Netanyahu’s decision not to withdraw from the Salah al-Din [Philadelphi Corridor] axis aims to thwart reaching an agreement,” Hamas said in the statement.
“We warn against falling into Netanyahu’s trap and tricks, as he uses negotiations to prolong the aggression against our people,” Hamas said, adding that Israel must be held to a deal that was agreed earlier this year.
