Israel Refuses to Withdraw from Philadelphi Corridor

Israel has announced it will not proceed with its planned withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border, despite the terms outlined in the recent ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement.

An unnamed Israeli official confirmed to Israel’s public broadcaster that the country will not pull back its forces as scheduled, stating, "Israel will not withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor as promised" and "we will not abandon it."

The agreement had stipulated that Israel would begin a phased reduction of forces in the corridor starting Saturday, in accordance with mutually agreed-upon maps. Full withdrawal was expected to be completed by the 50th day of the truce.

In response, Hamas condemned Israel’s stance, calling it a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement. The group dismissed Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz’s claims that Hamas planned attacks during the truce as "false and misleading," accusing Israel of seeking to evade its commitments.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed a delegation to travel to Cairo to continue negotiations on the Gaza ceasefire. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar confirmed that Israeli representatives will assess whether there is common ground for further talks.