The Israeli security minister advocates for scrapping negotiations towards a truce with Hamas.
In the current political landscape of Israel, right-wing figures Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, key partners in Netanyahu's right-religious administration, vehemently stand against direct dialogue with the militant Islamic group Hamas. They see the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip as the sole method to dismantle Hamas, the Palestinian organization that initiated the hostilities towards Israel on October 7 with their energetic attacks.
While Hamas, acknowledged as a terrorist entity by the USA and EU, avoids direct communication, third-party mediators like the USA, Qatar, and Egypt attempt to facilitate talks for a truce and the liberation of the staying hostages. Unfortunately, despite months of rigorous work, no significant progress has been attained.
Following the triumphant recovery of three slain Israeli hostages, demands for a formal agreement to free the remaining captives increase, extending the mounting intensity of mass protests initiated by the opposition and families of the hostages.
On Tuesday, the US State Department confirmed their commitment to collaborate with the mediators from Egypt and Qatar "in the near future" to advocate for a conclusive agreement. "It's high time we seal this agreement," stressed US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.
One of the contested issues in these negotiations revolves around the so-called Philadelphi Corridor and Israel's continuous military presence across the approximately 14-kilometer-long southern boundary between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. To date, Netanyahu has proven reluctant to sanction a troop withdrawal, fearing Hamas's consolidation due to weapon trafficking and underground tunnel networks. However, on Tuesday, Miller confirmed Israel's agreement to withdraw its troops from the border area.
In reference to Miller's statement, he noted that the proposed compromise, agreed upon by the Israeli government, involves the withdrawal of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) from densely populated areas. This includes the Philadelphi Corridor.
Hamas's extensive assault on numerous locations in southern Israel on October 7 resulted in the death of 1205 individuals and the abduction of 251 hostages to the Gaza Strip, as per Israeli records. Nearly ten months later, 97 hostages are still detained by Hamas and other militant Palestinian groups; 33 of whom are reportedly deceased.
As a retaliation to Hamas's attack, Israel engages in significant military operations in the Gaza Strip. While Hamas's casualty figures cannot be independently verified, they claim that more than 40,800 people have been killed since October.
After the US State Department's confirmation of collaborating with Egypt and Qatar for a truce agreement, public pressure increases for the release of the remaining hostages. Release of the Israeli troops from the Philadelphi Corridor is one of the contentious issues in these negotiations, as Netanyahu fears Hamas's consolidation due to weapon trafficking and tunnel networks.
