Israel Continues Coercion, Offering a Different Interpretation of the Salah al-Din Withdrawal Deadline
As the deadline nears, Israeli officials indicate non-compliance with withdrawal terms, while pressure mounts on Hamas through U.S.-backed strategies.
Watan-By the time the day after tomorrow, Saturday, arrives—marking 42 days since the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas came into effect—the Israeli occupation army was supposed to begin withdrawing from the Salah al-Din (Philadelphi) Corridor and complete the process eight days later, as per Israel’s commitments.
However, recent statements from Israeli officials suggest that these commitments are unlikely to be honored, especially after Hebrew media outlets today, Thursday, quoted an unnamed Israeli official confirming that there would be no withdrawal from the Salah al-Din Corridor.
Adding to this, Israeli Security Minister Yisrael Katz later stated that the Salah al-Din Corridor is part of the buffer zone that the occupation is establishing inside the Gaza Strip, citing the pretext of preventing smuggling through tunnels extending between Gaza and Egyptian territory.
Israel Maneuvers on Salah al-Din Withdrawal Amid Cairo Negotiations
The Hebrew news site “Walla” reported this evening that Israeli officials interpret the withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor as part of the second phase of the agreement, and therefore, they are preemptively announcing—through a semi-official statement—that the Israeli army will not withdraw.
However, simultaneously, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated that he has decided to send a negotiating delegation to Cairo to continue discussions. The very brief statement, seemingly part of Israeli maneuvering, did not specify whether the talks would focus on extending the first phase, scrapping the second phase, or something else.
The decision to send the Israeli delegation to Cairo came after a series of discussions held by Netanyahu with the participation of security establishment leaders and ministers Yisrael Katz, Ron Dermer, Bezalel Smotrich, Gideon Sa’ar, and Shas party leader Aryeh Deri, who outlined the “missions and objectives” of the delegation. According to the Hebrew site, one of the issues Israel will raise in the Cairo meeting is its desire to continue exchanging Israeli detainees and Palestinian prisoners and to implement another round of releasing Israeli detainees.
Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, in a meeting with his Czech counterpart Jan Lipavský, stated that “our delegation will go to Cairo to assess whether there is common ground for extending the plan in exchange for the return of more hostages (detainees).” Israel is trying to increase pressure on Hamas, leveraging full U.S. support and statements from its president, Donald Trump, who recently made it clear that if Israel decides to resume fighting, it would be acceptable to the Americans.
Notably, Israel has informed the United States of its firm stance against withdrawing from the Salah al-Din Corridor at the scheduled time outlined in the agreement. However, the failure to execute the withdrawal does not necessarily mean an immediate return to fighting, as the ceasefire agreement includes a mechanism stipulating that combat will not resume as long as negotiations continue.
The Walla site pointed out that Hamas currently faces three options: The first is moving to the second phase, which includes a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the Salah al-Din Corridor. However, Israel conditions this on Gaza’s disarmament, the exile of Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders to a third country, and the dismantling of the military wing. Israel is aware that Hamas will reject these conditions, leaving two remaining options: a return to intense fighting with new weaponry and unprecedented U.S. support, or an extension of the first phase.
If an extension of the first phase is agreed upon, it would include prolonging the ceasefire between the two sides, provided that Hamas releases the remaining Israeli detainees who are still alive. Israel insists that there will be no ceasefire extension without their release. Israel believes that 22 Israeli detainees remain alive in Gaza and estimates that three or four more prisoner exchange rounds could take place. Some suggest that this process could start as soon as this coming Saturday, which would mean extending the ceasefire for at least another month.
Hamas Weighs Options as Israel Conditions Withdrawal on Disarmament
Israeli assessments suggest that Hamas does not want to return to fighting, even if it is working to strengthen its forces and reorganize its ranks in Gaza. These assessments contradict the statements of Katz, who claimed today that Hamas is preparing to resume combat, adding, “We have received information that it is planning to attack soldiers and towns.”
The occupation state also believes that its strategy of pressure and ultimatums will push Hamas to agree to an extension. It cites Hamas’ agreement to hand over the last batch of bodies without ceremonies and its consent to transfer the four coffins before all prisoners were released as evidence that the movement is under pressure. Meanwhile, the Israeli army is preparing for the possibility of a return to combat and is significantly reinforcing its forces around Gaza.
According to Hebrew media, Israel assumes that there will be no second phase in the form initially presented in the deal proposal prepared by the administration of former U.S. President Joe Biden. This means that Israel will continue its coercive tactics against Hamas, especially given the absence of a strong and clear Arab stance opposing Israeli-American plans for Gaza.
