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Netanyahu Reiterates Israeli Presence in Philadelphia Axis Amidst Gaza Conflict
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reaffirmed Israel’s intention to maintain a military presence in the Philadelphia Axis, a border area between the southern Gaza Strip and Egypt.
Netanyahu emphasized that Israel would not withdraw its forces from the Philadelphia Axis until it was ensured that the area would not be used as a lifeline for the Hamas movement.
“We will remain there until it is achieved,” he stated at a press conference in Jerusalem.
The Israeli prime minister hinted that if Israel were to leave the Philadelphia Corridor and ease the pressure on Hamas, it would not be able to return all the hostages.
Netanyahu insisted that the terms of a permanent ceasefire must include a situation in which the Philadelphia Axis would not be used for smuggling.
Egypt has rejected Israeli allegations of using the Philadelphia Corridor to smuggle weapons and military equipment to Hamas.
A senior source quoted by Cairo news described Netanyahu’s claims as “spreading lies to cover up his failure in the Gaza Strip.”
Netanyahu’s Equation: Philadelphia Axis vs. Hostages
Analysts have found that Netanyahu’s equation has become clear, where he believes it is crucial to maintain an Israeli military presence in the Philadelphia Axis, even if it means killing prisoners held by Hamas in return.
The source considered that Netanyahu’s statements about the Philadelphia Axis and allegations of arms smuggling were “a prelude to his declaration of security and political failure and not finding prisoners or achieving any military victories in Gaza and the West Bank.”
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller stated that the latest proposal presented by Washington to the talks and accepted by Israel included withdrawal from the border strip.
Miller explained that the recent settlement, which was “accepted by the Israeli government,” stipulates the “withdrawal of the Israeli army from areas with high population density,” including the Philadelphia Axis.
The war in Gaza began on October 7 following an unprecedented attack by Hamas in southern Israel.
Turkiye Responds to Netanyahu’s Accusations Against Egypt
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry described Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent statements about Egypt and the Philadelphia Axis as “unacceptable” and accused him of continuing to “lie.”
Hamas attacks killed 1,205 people on the Israeli side, most of them civilians, according to an Agence France-Presse count based on official data.
Of the 251 hostages taken during the Hamas attack, 97 remain in Gaza, 33 of whom have died, the Israeli military said.
At least 40,861 people were killed in Israeli bombardment and ground operations in the Gaza Strip in response to the attack, according to the Hamas Health Ministry.
The war has caused widespread destruction and a catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the Strip, which has a population of about 2.4 million people.