Netanyahu says Israeli troops not to leave Gaza-Egypt border

Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied that he agreed to withdraw military forces from the Gaza-Egypt border as part of a potential ceasefire deal with Hamas, according to a statement from his office.

The current US-backed bridging proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages — which US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Monday that Israel has accepted — includes a withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Philadelphi Corridor, a key border area between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, Israel’s state-owned Kan TV previously claimed.

Both Hamas and Egypt, a critical mediator in the negotiations, reportedly oppose Israeli control over the corridor.

Netanyahu called the reports “incorrect” and emphasised that Israel has not agreed to relinquish control over the area, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the statement issued by his office on Wednesday.

“Israel will insist on achieving all of its war objectives as defined by the Security Cabinet, including ensuring that Gaza never again poses a security threat to Israel,” the statement said.

“This requires securing the southern border,” it added.

Also on Wednesday, Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden spoke by phone to discuss advancing the ceasefire-for-hostages deal, the White House said in a statement, without elaborating.

Israeli military officials have repeatedly stated that Israel could meet its security needs without maintaining control over the Philadelphi Corridor.

The Israeli Ynet news website quoted anonymous Israeli security officials accusing Netanyahu of hampering efforts to reach an agreement, arguing that his insistence on control over the corridor could jeopardise the deal.