Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted on Monday that Israeli forces must retain control over the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border, vowing “not to give in to pressure” over the issue in Gaza ceasefire talks.
“The achievement of the war’s objectives goes through the Philadelphi Corridor,” he said at a televised press conference one day after Israeli authorities announced the death of six more hostages seized during Hamas’s October 7 attack.
“Control of the Philadelphi axis guarantees that the hostages will not be smuggled out of Gaza,” he added.
Hamas, whose unprecedented October 7 attack on southern Israel started the war, is demanding a complete Israeli withdrawal from the area as part of the stalled talks mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt.
The killing of the six hostages spurred an outpouring of grief in Israel as well as anger at the government for not sealing a deal that would have secured the hostages’ release.
He claimed that Hamas militants “executed” six hostages whose bodies were recovered from Gaza, shooting them “in the back of the head”.
“These murderers executed six of our hostages, they shot them in the back of the head,” he said during a press conference, rejecting the notion that Israel should respond with “concessions” in Gaza ceasefire talks.
“I will not give in to pressure,” Netanyahu said, referring to the strategic Philadelphi Corridor.
As thousands of protesters gathered in Tel Aviv on Monday night for a second day of demonstrations criticizing the government, Netanyahu sought forgiveness for not being able to save them but insisted that leaving the corridor would not have led to a different outcome.
“I ask for your forgiveness for not bringing them back alive,” he said.
“We were close but we didn’t succeed. Hamas will pay a very heavy price for this,” he continued.
“The killing of the six hostages did not happen because of the decision on Philadelphi but because of Hamas itself.”
“We will make Hamas pay a very heavy price in the near future,” Netanyahu said on Monday.
“No one is more committed than me to the release of the hostages. No one can lecture me on this.”
With AFP
