Washington.-Antony Blinken and Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the latest key disagreement blocking a possible ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The Israeli prime minister does not want to give up military control of the Philadelphia Corridor – which connects Gaza with Egypt – a political decision that is resisted by the Secretary of State, his own War Cabinet and the terrorist organization.
“If Hamas insists on a complete withdrawal from the Philadelphia Corridor, there is no deal,” Netanyahu told his negotiators before the three-hour meeting with Blinken in Jerusalem.
If there were to be a truce in Gaza along the lines of the initiative proposed by Joseph Biden in May, the extreme vigilance of the Philadelphia Corridor is of relative importance. In the first phase of the ceasefire, priority is given to the freedom of the hostages and the entry of humanitarian aid into the combat zone. The withdrawal of certain troops from the Corridor should not affect Israel’s security.
The corridor is 14 kilometers long, links the Strip with Egypt, and is used by Hamas to smuggle weapons, explosives, food and medical supplies. The War Cabinet that advises Netanyahu and the White House acknowledge its logistical importance for Hamas, but consider it more important to establish a truce, obtain the freedom of the hostages and calm the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Blinken used these arguments to convince the Israeli prime minister, who responded with a public statement that confirmed the position he had displayed during his meeting with the Secretary of State.
“The Prime Minister reiterated Israel’s commitment to the current US proposal on the release of our hostages, which takes into account Israel’s security needs, which it firmly insists on,” the statement said.
The door of one of the tunnels in the Philadelphia Corridor that connects Gaza with Egypt. The tunnels are used by Hamas to supply itself with weapons, food, supplies and medical supplies.
The door of one of the tunnels in the Philadelphia Corridor that connects Gaza with Egypt. The tunnels are used by Hamas to supply itself with weapons, food, supplies and medical supplies.
In addition to narrowing the differences between the two enemies, Blinken had on his agenda to ask Netanyahu and Qatar – which negotiates for Hamas and Hezbollah – the eventual suspension of military and terrorist operations in Gaza, Lebanon and Israel. Without opposing attacks, progress could be made at another speed to close a truce involving the most powerful countries in the Middle East.
“This is a decisive moment, probably the best and perhaps the last opportunity to bring the hostages home, to achieve a ceasefire,” Blinken said before starting his meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad terrorists continued with their agenda. Just hours ago, Israeli police confirmed that Hamas and Islamic Jihad had attempted to carry out an attack in Tel Aviv with a backpack full of explosives. A malfunction in the device caused the bomb to explode early, killing the terrorist in charge of the attack.
After his meeting with Netanyahu concluded, the Secretary of State traveled to Tel Aviv to meet with Yoav Gallant, Israel’s defense minister. Blinken and Gallant have a fluid relationship and share the need to conclude the truce outside of military control of the Philadelphia Corridor.
Netanyahu and Gallant have already clashed over the military and diplomatic strategy to resolve the conflict in Gaza, and yesterday the differences deepened when negotiations with Hamas were discussed in Israel’s War Cabinet. Gallant insisted on agreeing to a truce to free the hostages and reduce the military presence in the corridor until a second phase of the ceasefire could be reached.
Outside the Philadelphia Corridor, Israel and Hamas have yet to agree on which Palestinian civilian hostages and prisoners would be released. Hamas is expected to release captive women, the elderly and the wounded in exchange for 350 Palestinians accused of terrorism.
Negotiations are stuck on the final list of Jewish hostages to be released and the list of terrorists sought by Hamas. Israel wants proof of life before closing the deal, while the Iranian-funded organization is pushing for the release of its fedayeen most involved in attacks against Israeli targets.
When his tour of Israel concludes, Blinken will fly to Cairo to complete his agenda in the Middle East.Infobae.
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2024-08-22 14:28:00
