US ‘bridging proposal’ would allow reduced Israeli troops to remain on Gaza-Egypt border — NYT

The new US “bridging proposal” for a hostage release-ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas would allow Israeli troops to continue to patrol part of the Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border, The New York Times reports, citing officials familiar with the negotiations.

According to the Times, the US proposal would allow a reduced number of Israeli troops to remain posted along the border route. However, the officials say that the suggestion is likely to be shot down by Hamas, which has said it will not tolerate any Israeli presence in the area whatsoever.

It adds that Egypt has also expressed displeasure, and Egyptian officials have warned that the extended presence of Israeli troops would pose national security concerns.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted that Israel will not withdraw from the route, or the Netzarim Corridor, and that troops must be stationed there for strategic and security reasons. Earlier this week, Israeli negotiators were said to have told the prime minister that his insistence on these demands was dooming the deal.

The officials say that another of Netanyahu’s other “non-negotiable” demands also posed issues at the talks in Doha over the weekend, after the US asked to delay in-depth conversations regarding Israel’s demand to screen displaced Palestinians returning to the northern part of the Strip, to ensure that they aren’t carrying weapons.