Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed on Tuesday that Israel will not vacate the Nezarim and Philadelphi security corridors in the Gaza Strip, despite significant external pressures. Netanyahu emphasized that these areas are “strategic assets, both military and political,” and are crucial for Israel’s security.
He also expressed doubts about the likelihood of reaching a deal. Netanyahu highlighted the importance of controlling the Egyptian border area to prevent Hamas from replenishing its arsenal through smuggling tunnels. He stressed the need for a “mechanism” to prevent militants from returning to northern Gaza, which has been largely isolated since October.
Hamas has rejected these demands, which were only made public recently. Previous drafts of a ceasefire proposal did not mention Israel retaining control of these corridors.
The Philadelphi corridor is a narrow strip along the Gaza-Egypt border, including the Rafah Crossing, which was Gaza’s only outlet not controlled by Israel until May. Israel asserts that Hamas used a network of tunnels beneath the corridor to smuggle arms, leading to the current conflict. The Israeli military claims to have found and destroyed dozens of these tunnels since May.
