Official: Netanyahu jeopardizing hostage talks for the sake of 6 weeks of Philadelphi Corridor control

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is risking blowing up the hostage negotiations so that the IDF can remain in the Philadelphi Corridor for an additional six weeks, a senior Israeli official familiar with the talks tells The Times of Israel.

“The proposal he backed still requires the IDF to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor after the first phase,” the senior Israeli official says, fuming over the Thursday night security cabinet vote to back Netanyahu’s stance regarding military deployment along the nine-mile Gaza-Egypt border stretch.

“This isn’t about permanent control of the Philadelphi [Corridor]. It’s about six weeks,” the official adds, referring to the length of the first phase of the three-phase ceasefire being negotiated.

“The security establishment still believes that we can return to the Philadelphi Corridor if need be even after withdrawing,” the official says, adding that the area will be “sterile” and lined with sensors and other security measures to prevent weapons smuggling.

Meanwhile, Channel 13 news quotes unnamed senior officials from several Israeli security bodies as saying the talks are “on the brink of collapse,” and accusing the government of managing the negotiations based on “political considerations.”