Netanyahu faces criticism at home over Philadelphi Corridor
On Monday, he told reporters that Israel’s presence at the Philadelphi Corridor, the 14km (8.7-mile) long strip of land that represents the entirety of the border area between Gaza and Egypt, which he described as “Hamas’s oxygen pipe”, was a necessary part of any ceasefire agreement.
Netanyahu’s insistence on control of the corridor has provoked the ire of many of the families of captives currently protesting across the country, who say it is scuppering a potential deal.
Hamas and other Palestinian groups say any deal must include a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Israeli media outlet Haaretz quoted Danny Elgarat, the brother of captive Itzik Elgartat, as saying, “Bibi says that he who kills hostages doesn’t want a deal – Bibi? You don’t want a deal! You want to turn the Philadelphi Corridor into a mass grave.”
After Netanyahu’s comments, opposition leader Lapid posted on X that when “Israel evacuated the Philadelphi Corridor 19 years ago, Netanyahu voted in favour. Both in the government and in the Knesset.”
“Netanyahu was prime minister for 15 years. It did not occur to him to recapture the Philadelphi Corridor,” he said, adding that he only bothered to send Israeli forces to the corridor eight months into the current war.
On Sunday, Defence Minister Gallant also called on the cabinet to reverse a decision to keep troops in the corridor.
Netanyahu pushes back as pressure grows to secure Gaza ceasefire deal
The Israeli prime minister is facing mass protests at home and new pressure from US President Joe Biden after Israeli forces at the weekend recovered the bodies of six captives.
But, Netanyahu has signalled he is in no mood to compromise.
On Monday he insisted that future Israeli control of the Philadelphi Corridor, a narrow band along Gaza’s border with Egypt, was a necessary part of any ceasefire agreement. Hamas says only a full withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Gaza can seal a deal.
Even the US – Israel’s staunches ally – now appears to be growing weary of Netanyahu’s intransigence.
Ex-Israeli general says Israeli forces will ‘collapse’ if fighting continues in Gaza
Israeli media outlet Haaretz has published an opinion piece by retired Israeli General Itzhak Brik, a former ombudsman for the Israeli military, titled, It Is Not Hamas That Is Collapsing, but Israel.
In it, he says that if Israeli forces “continue fighting in Gaza by raiding and re-raiding the same targets, not only won’t we bring Hamas to collapse, but we’ll collapse ourselves”.
He said every day, Israeli forces in Gaza grow weaker while Hamas, “in contrast, has already replenished its ranks with 17- and 18-year-olds”.
Brik also noted that many Israeli reservists are “no longer consenting” to being “redrafted again and again” and “conscripted soldiers are exhausted and are losing professional skills for lack of training”.
“Israel’s economy, international relations and social cohesiveness are severely damaged by this war of attrition against both Hamas and Hezbollah,” he said, adding that the Israeli military “does not have enough forces to fight a multifront war”.
