Netanyahu requested a government meeting near the Egyptian border

The channel quoted sources close to Netanyahu as saying that the prime minister “asked the head of the General Security Service (Shabak) Ronen Bar, whether government ministers could hold a meeting on the Philadelphi corridor, in armored personnel carriers.”

She added that the meeting “would have been an opportunity to brief the ministers on the region and convince them to support Netanyahu’s request that the region remain under Israeli military control, even if an agreement is reached to release the hostages and a ceasefire.”

According to the report, Netanyahu “believed that by taking such a dramatic step he would be able to emphasize the seriousness of the request (to keep the forces in the Philadelphi corridor),” indicating that the head of the General Security Service “refused to respond to the request, due to the extent of the security measures required for such an unprecedented event in an active war zone.”

The Shin Bet declined to comment on the report, saying it “does not discuss security arrangements and dialogue between the head of the Shin Bet and the political leadership,” according to The Times of Israel. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office also declined to comment.

Last week, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office denied an Israeli television report that Netanyahu had agreed to withdraw forces from the Philadelphi corridor.

“Israel insists on achieving all its war goals, as defined by the security cabinet, including that Gaza never again pose a security threat to Israel. This requires securing the southern border,” he said in a statement.

Israel’s current control of the Philadelphi Corridor allows it to control Gaza’s border with Egypt, where the only crossing into the Strip that does not border Israel is located.

A few days ago, Al-Qahirah News Channel quoted a senior source as saying that Egypt “renewed its confirmation to all concerned parties that it would not accept any Israeli presence at the Rafah crossing or the Philadelphi (Salah al-Din) axis.”