Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made it clear that Israel will not withdraw troops from the Philadelphia Corridor between southern Gaza and Egypt. However, the Prime Minister also said that the country can move the army from there under one condition. At a news conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday, he said Israel would agree to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza only if it was guaranteed that the Philadelphia corridor would not be allowed to be used as a lifeline by the Palestinian armed group Hamas. Reuters reported this information in a report.
“We are there until that happens,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu reiterated his refusal to withdraw troops from the so-called Philadelphia Corridor in the first phase of a deal. The contract is expected to last for 42 days.
Israel claims that in order to agree to a permanent ceasefire after the deal, it must guarantee that whoever rules Gaza after the war is able to prevent Hamas from using the corridor as a route to smuggle weapons and supplies. Someone has to be there, Netanyahu said.
“Show me somebody who will show me not just on paper, words or slides, but that they will actually prevent a repeat of what happened there day after day, week after week, month after month,” he said, referring to the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel. able to
He also said that we are open to consider the matter. However, I don’t think that will happen now.
The Philadelphia Corridor, on the southern edge of the Gaza Strip bordering Egypt, has been one of the main stumbling blocks to a deal to end fighting in Gaza and repatriate Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Netanyahu insisted on retaining control of the corridor. Israeli forces discovered dozens of tunnels there. Officials said they were used to supply weapons and ammunition to Hamas.
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