In their discussions of the developments of the war in Gaza, Israeli analysts criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s insistence on keeping the Israeli army in the Philadelphi corridor, and considered it an attempt to obstruct reaching a deal with the Palestinian resistance in Gaza.
Netanyahu said in a press conference that achieving the goals of the war on Gaza passes through the Philadelphi corridor, stressing that his forces will not withdraw from it.
Channel 12 military affairs analyst Nir Dvori confirms that the Philadelphi corridor was not a major problem for Israel. Throughout the 8 months of war, they did not approach it, and even when the army pressed for it, Netanyahu hesitated and did not agree to the operation there.
Another issue, according to Dvori, is that “weapons smuggling did not take place through the tunnels under the Philadelphi Corridor, but rather through the Rafah crossing itself. Most of the weapons, especially those of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), were manufactured in the Strip, because the tunnels were closed and smuggling was not possible.”
For his part, Channel 12 political analyst Amnon Abramovich wondered, saying, “Where has the Philadelphi axis been all these years? What kind of Jewish-Zionist swap is this: the Kiryat Shmona-Matla axis in exchange for the Philadelphi axis?”
He said that Netanyahu voted 4 times in the Knesset on the plan to separate from the Gaza Strip, and did not refer to the Philadelphi Corridor or the status of this corridor.
For his part, Channel 13 political analyst Raviv Drucker considered Netanyahu’s last press conference to be the most saddening press conference, because the Israelis realized – according to the spokesman – under these circumstances that no prisoner would be released from Gaza in a deal, and he asked: Why did Israel not occupy the Philadelphi Corridor 7 months ago?
Regarding the US administration’s position on the negotiations, Channel 13 correspondent in the United States, Neria Kraus, referred to US President Joe Biden’s statements in which he said, “Netanyahu is not doing enough.”
She said that such American statements have become public policy.
According to Kan 11 political correspondent Amichai Stein, American officials are telling a number of parties in closed discussions that they are frustrated with Netanyahu’s recent actions regarding the Philadelphi corridor.