Israeli officials have stated that the future of the Philadelphia Corridor is solvable, while informed sources have confirmed that there are deep disagreements regarding the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, especially since the progress in talks does not include Hamas but only intermediaries. According to Israeli Broadcasting Authority, Israeli officials indicated that the Israeli side supports the U.S. proposal for reaching an agreement that includes a gradual withdrawal of the army from the corridor. Meanwhile, the broadcasting agency revealed, citing a source familiar with the negotiations, that deep disagreements still persist regarding the withdrawal of the Israeli army from Gaza.
An Israeli delegation is expected to head to Cairo in the coming days to discuss the outlines of the agreement concerning the Philadelphia and Netzarim corridors, as well as the Rafah crossing.
The details of the U.S. proposal
Channel 12 in Israel uncovered details of the new U.S. proposal for a ceasefire deal in Gaza and the hostages, but the U.S. proposal did not resolve the dispute regarding two issues that remain stuck: the Philadelphia and Netzarim corridors. The proposal included the number and names of Israeli hostages who would be released, alongside a list of Palestinian prisoners in return for each Israeli hostage. The channel noted that the proposal specifies the exact number of Israeli hostages to be released in the first phase and the timings for their release, starting with women and female soldiers.
The U.S. proposal also included the names of Palestinian prisoners who would be released in exchange for each Israeli hostage, including the release of Palestinian prisoners who were freed in the Gilad Shalit deal and were subsequently re-imprisoned. Additionally, the U.S. proposal outlined arrangements for the movements of the Israeli army in various areas of Gaza during the ceasefire period. According to Channel 12, the U.S. proposal met most of Israel's demands without resolving the dispute regarding the Philadelphia and Netzarim corridors.
According to Axios, citing American and Israeli officials, experts from the U.S., Israel, and Egypt will meet in Cairo in the coming hours to discuss security arrangements along the Philadelphia Corridor on the Gaza-Egypt border and the reopening of the Rafah crossing—two critical issues for the implementation of the ceasefire agreement. American and Israeli officials expect further negotiations to take place next Wednesday in Cairo with the aim of concluding those two issues in an agreement.
The Biden administration hopes to reach a ceasefire agreement to deter Iran and Hezbollah from launching an attack on Israel, which, if it occurs, would undermine efforts to reach an agreement and could push the region towards a wide-scale regional war.
Progress between Intermediaries and Not with Hamas
All the progress referred to is described by the Israeli site "Walla" as being among the intermediaries themselves and not with Hamas. Senior Israeli officials said that the issue of the Philadelphia Corridor is solvable, as long as a solution based on the proposed U.S. gradual withdrawal of troops from the corridor is reached. They added that points of contention will be discussed again in Cairo, with Israel confirming as of today that "there is progress between us and the intermediaries. Hamas is not currently in the picture."
