Israel will not withdraw from Gaza’s Philadelphi route, Israeli official says ahead of Saturday deadline
The Philadelphi route in July 2024
Jonathan Lis and Jack Khoury report in Haaretz on 27 February 2025:
Israel will not withdraw from Gaza’s Philadelphi route, an Israeli official said following the return of the bodies of four hostages on Thursday, despite the upcoming Saturday deadline.
“We will not withdraw from the Philadelphi route,” the official said. “We will not allow Hamas murderers to roam our border again with trucks and rifles, and we will not let them rearm through smuggling.”
Hamas said in response that the statement is a violation of the cease-fire deal. Israel committed to begin its withdrawal from the Philadelphi corridor at the end of the first stage of the deal – the 42nd day of the agreement’s implementation, which falls on Saturday – and complete the withdrawal on the 50th day.
Hamas said earlier Thursday that it is willing to extend the first stage of the deal, but has not yet received a concrete proposal for this, or for the start of the second stage. Hamas spokesperson Abd al-Latif al-Qanou said in an interview with the Qatari Al-Araby news outlet that “Hamas is ready for an extension based on the established red lines – the end of the war, a full Israeli withdrawal, a respectable prisoner exchange deal, and the beginning of the reconstruction process in Gaza.” He added that the group is “open to any Arab or international proposal to improve civilians’ lives and rebuild the Strip.”
Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Thursday that Israel received information indicating that Hamas was planning on attacking soldiers and communities even during the cease-fire, but the group denied the comments. In a speech at a conference of regional councils, Katz said that the government is interested in “continuing the process of returning hostages, alive and dead, to bring them all here.” He added that Hamas will not rule Gaza after the war, in either a civilian or a military capacity.
If Israel decides to let its forces remain along the Philadelphi route, it would represent a unilateral violation of the agreement with Hamas. The statement could be intended to pressure Hamas into releasing more hostages under the deal’s first stage, a move preferred by the Israeli side.
The Israeli statement was shared at a sensitive time, as the sides are due to negotiate over the continuation of the deal over the coming weekend. U.S. Mideast Envoy Steve Witkoff said he may arrive in the region on Sunday.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday evening that Washington is determined to move forward with the rest of the cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas. “Stage one is ending, stage two has started,” Trump said, noting that Israel needed to make decisions now.
Israeli political leaders have made it clear in recent days that they would prefer another round or two of hostage-prisoner exchanges in the framework of the first stage, including wounded and sick hostages, as well as those who have children. They would be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, according to a ratio to be determined in talks between the two sides.
Witkoff hinted at the start of this week that the White House was examining proposals that would solve the main bone of contention on how to formally end the war, namely Israeli demands, which are supported by the Trump administration, that Hamas no longer remain in power in Gaza, disarm, and that its leaders go into exile.
This article is reproduced in its entirety