Report: Israel agreed to pull out of Philadelphi corridor in phase 2 of hostage deal

On Monday, Netanyahu was firm on his position that the Philadelphi corridor was essential for Israel’s security.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Despite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s insistence that the IDF must have a long-term presence in the Philadelphi corridor, a senior Israeli official told Kan 11 that the second phase of the hostage deal agreed upon the IDF’s withdrawal from the border between Egypt and Gaza.

The official said Israel agreed to be in the Philadelphi corridor by the deal’s first phase but would retreat after that.

On Monday, Netanyahu was firm on his position that the Philadelphi corridor was essential for Israel’s security and that he would not agree to any proposal that would require a withdrawal from the area.

Netanyahu said control of the corridor was necessary for “ensuring that we will not have more and more October 7’s, as Hamas has promised.”

In a briefing with reporters, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said, “The deal itself, including the bridging proposal that we started working with… includes the removal of Israeli Defense Forces from all densely populated areas… in phase one… and that includes those areas along and adjacent to that corridor … That’s the proposal that Israel had agreed to.”

Kirby wouldn’t indicate whether the deal would allow Israel to remain in less populated areas along the Philadelphi corridor, but acknowledged  Israel “would need some security along that corridor.”

Netanyahu apologized to grieving hostage families who buried their loved ones murdered by Hamas, but added that he would under no circumstances agree to a hostage release deal that would require a retreat from the Philadelphi corridor.

He began the press conference by saying, “I ask for the forgiveness of the families that we were not able to bring them back alive. We were close, but we didn’t make it.”

Netanyahu added, “The road to achieving the goals of the war passes through the Philadelphi Corridor” between Gaza and Egypt.

Last Thursday, the war cabinet voted to retain the condition that Israel controls the Philadelphi corridor as part of any hostage or ceasefire agreement, with National Security Minister Ben-Gvir abstaining from the vote. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant voted against it and argued that the IDF could vacate the Philadelphi corridor temporarily as a means to get the hostages released.