NNA – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has clashed with Israeli ceasefire negotiators over his insistence that Israel not withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor in the southern Gaza Strip, Reuters reported, citing an informed source.
The Philadelphi Corridor, which borders Egypt, and the Netzarim Corridor, which runs through the center of the Gaza Strip, are among the main sticking points in the talks mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States.
Netanyahu has repeatedly insisted that Israel will not give up control of the Philadelphi Corridor because it wants to prevent the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) from smuggling weapons and fighters across the border with Egypt.
He also said that Israel must maintain checkpoints in the Netzarim Corridor to prevent Hamas fighters from moving from the southern part of Gaza to the north of the Strip.
The source said Netanyahu quot;agreed to move one position in the Philadelphi Corridor by a few hundred meters, but will retain full control of the corridor, despite pressure from members of his negotiating team to make further concessions.quot;
ldquo;The prime minister insists that this situation will continue, in opposition to pressure from some elements of the negotiating team who want to withdraw from there,rdquo; the source familiar with the negotiations added.
Israeli Channel 12 reported a few days ago that Netanyahu had sharply criticized the negotiating team, led by Mossad chief David Barnea, for being willing to make too many concessions.