Likud minister vows to resign if Israel withdraws from Philadelphi Corridor before war goals achieved

Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli vows to resign from the government if Israel withdraws from the Philadelphi Corridor along the border between Gaza and Egypt before the war goals are achieved, as sources were quoted as saying the final issues in a hostage-ceasefire deal with Hamas had been resolved.

“So far, the government has kept its commitment to the war’s goals even when question marks arose, as in the previous deal [in November 2023], the issue of entering Rafah, or a ground maneuver in Lebanon. It is clear to me that this will be the case now as well,” the Likud minister writes in a post on X.

He then vows he’ll resign from his position as minister if “God forbid” the IDF pulls back from the Gaza-Egypt border before the war goals of toppling Hamas and freeing the hostages are achieved.

A senior diplomatic official confirmed earlier today that Israel had not agreed to gradually pull out of the Philadelphi Corridor from the start of the ceasefire and that IDF troops would remain in the area “throughout the entire first stage, all 42 days.”

“This deal is difficult to digest and involves heavy costs. So, as was the case with the previous vote, I will make my final decision only after the full details of the deal are presented,” he adds.

The security cabinet was set to approve the deal this morning, but the meeting was delayed after the Prime Minister’s Office accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the agreement. The meeting will reportedly be held tomorrow morning, though it has not yet been confirmed.