Netanyahu vows to maintain Israeli presence in Gaza

JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told hostage families on Tuesday that he is uncertain whether a deal with Hamas will be reached, emphasizing that Israel will not relinquish control of two corridors in the Gaza Strip, a key demand by Hamas, state-owned media reported.

"Israel will not withdraw under any circumstances from the Philadelphi Corridor and the Netzarim Corridor, despite enormous pressure to do so," Netanyahu told Gvura Forum and Tikva Forum, two groups representing families of hostages, as reported by Kan TV news.

The Philadelphi Corridor is a border area between Egypt and Gaza, while the Netzarim Corridor divides the enclave into northern and southern zones. Israeli forces currently control both, but Hamas has insisted on Israel's withdrawal as part of a ceasefire agreement.

Netanyahu's office did not deny the comments reportedly made during his meeting with the hostage families. In a statement, Netanyahu pledged to "preserve our strategic security assets despite significant pressures."

Israeli officials involved in the Gaza ceasefire negotiations accused Netanyahu of attempting to sabotage efforts to reach a deal after a new bridging proposal was presented in Qatar over the weekend.

"Netanyahu's remarks were intended to derail the negotiations," officials told Kan TV. "The prime minister knows we are at a critical juncture, working on solutions for the Philadelphi and Netzarim corridors ahead of the next summit. He is aware of the progress made, yet his statements contradict what was agreed upon with mediators."

The remarks came a day after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, after meeting with Netanyahu in Tel Aviv on Monday, said Israel had accepted the bridging deal proposal. The proposal, advanced by Qatari, Egyptian, and U.S. mediators, was described by Blinken as a last-ditch effort to reach an agreement, which aims at securing a ceasefire in exchange for the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas has demanded that the deal include a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a permanent ceasefire.

Outside the Kirya base in Tel Aviv, the Israeli military's headquarters, dozens of hostage families and supporters rallied on Tuesday, urging the government to sign a deal. Similar demonstrations took place across the country.

The rallies were triggered by the retrieval of six hostages' bodies from a tunnel in the southern Gazan city of Khan Younis during a military operation. They were kidnapped by Hamas fighters on Oct 7, 2023, during their assault on Israeli communities.

Netanyahu praised the operation, stating, "Israel will continue to make every effort to bring our hostages back."

However, military spokesman Daniel Hagari said at a press conference that "there are currently 109 hostages held by Hamas," and added, "We won't be able to rescue all of them through military operations." He added that the National Institute of Forensic Medicine is still determining the cause of their death.

Meanwhile, Israel's Channel 13 TV reported that officials from the Israeli delegation expressed doubt over the resumption of talks in Cairo this week. Major General Nitzan Alon, representing the Israeli military in the delegation, may not attend due to Netanyahu's refusal to compromise on the Philadelphi and Netzarim corridors. "If there is no compromise on the main issues, what is the point of going to Egypt?" officials told the channel.

Hamas fighters took about 250 hostages during their Oct 7, 2023 assault on southern Israeli communities. While dozens have since been released in deals, Israeli security officials, speaking to Xinhua on condition of anonymity, said only about 60 hostages are believed to be alive.

Israel's response to the attack has resulted in a massive onslaught, killing more than 40,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly civilians, and causing widespread destruction across the enclave, according to health authorities in Gaza.