Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to reporters during a press conference in Tel Aviv on January 13 2024. (Screen capture/YouTube)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that gaining control of the Gaza Strip border with Egypt is a crucial prerequisite for ending the ongoing military conflict with the Palestinian group Hamas. Netanyahu asserted that closing this border is essential to prevent the infiltration of weapons into the Gaza Strip, addressing a significant vulnerability in the current situation.
"We will not end the war without closing this hole (the Gaza Strip-Egypt border). Otherwise, we will destroy Hamas and demilitarize Gaza, but new military equipment and deadly weapons will come through this hole. Obviously, we need to close it. There are several options, and we have not yet made a decision," Netanyahu stated during a press conference, as reported by The Times of Israel.Sources cited by The Wall Street Journal indicated that Israel has communicated its intentions to Egypt regarding a potential military operation to establish control over the Philadelphia Corridor, a contested border area between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.
In late December, Netanyahu outlined three conditions for achieving peace in the Gaza Strip, which include the destruction of Hamas, the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip, and the deradicalization of Palestinian society. The Prime Minister's recent statements underscore a strategic focus on securing control over critical border areas to fulfill these peace conditions.
However, despite these conditions, the Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, Herzi Halevi, has indicated that the war in the Gaza Strip is anticipated to persist for many more months.
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