Netanyahu's Gaza gambit: Why he won't let go of the Philadelphi Corridor - An analysis

Report by Ahmad Abdallah, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

In a controversial speech, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed that Israel will not withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza border until it is ensured that the route is not used to smuggle weapons to Hamas.

Historically, the Philadelphi Corridor issue dates back to 2005 when Israel withdrew from Gaza as part of the "disengagement plan" and handed control of the corridor to Egypt under international agreements to prevent smuggling. 

However, smuggling activities through tunnels increased, with Grad rockets and mortar shells smuggled between 2006 and 2008 and heavy weapons between 2011 and 2013. 

During Operation Protective Edge in 2014, Israel destroyed more than 30 tunnels, and Egypt continued to destroy the tunnels until 2021. 

Netanyahu's supporters recall this context to justify his decision to prevent the rearmament of Hamas and protect the southern border.

Meanwhile, Hamas, which opposes Israel's presence in the corridor, told LBCI that Netanyahu was initially one of those who voted in favor of withdrawing from the corridor in 2004. 

Despite his party, the Israeli army, the defense minister, and its ally, the United States, all supporting the withdrawal, Netanyahu remains committed to controlling the corridor for personal and political reasons, not for security concerns. 
 
Hamas sources added that 80-90 percent of Hamas' weapons are locally manufactured, and if Netanyahu was serious in his stance, he would have set the condition of controlling the corridor at the start of the war. 

However, as of last July 2, the corridor was not part of the negotiations and was only brought up to stall its progress.

Netanyahu received support from some officials who viewed his position as a guarantee for Israel's security, while others criticized this strategy. 

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was one of the most prominent critics, proposing a partial withdrawal from the corridor to facilitate negotiations, arguing that the insistence on full control over it hinders diplomatic efforts. 

Israeli analysts also saw the cabinet's support for Netanyahu as a direct challenge to Gallant and Military Chief of General Staff Herzi Halevi, who recommended a temporary withdrawal to secure the release of hostages. 

They also believe that Netanyahu, by dismissing the security leaders' assessments, aims to push Gallant into resigning.

Therefore, the Philadelphi Corridor remains a central point of contention in the ongoing negotiations, as Netanyahu faces pressure to make decisive decisions that could impact the future of these talks.